Find the Balance
by princess yukiko
Summary: Sequel to 'BlessedCurse' Cari has many responsibilities and worries. Many are not happy with her existence or past. Between studies, training and unstable powers how can she have time for anything? With underground group after her family, friends in trouble, powers on a rampage, and a love triangle how will Cari find happiness? Or will she give it up for everyone else's happiness?
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

A man in an expensive suit sat in his chair looking out of his office window. Anger, frustration, and panic were radiating off him as he looked at the scene only two floors below him.

The large courtyard was littered with Specialists fighting his armed men. It was obvious that the Specialists had the upper hand. They were after all, trained to work as a team unlike his men that were used only to one-on-one combat.

' _How did they find this base?'_ All his men that left the secluded compound had a spell placed on them that prevented them from giving away any information about the organization if they were captured and interrogated.

His focused narrowed on a group of specific Specialists that were approaching the main entrance. He quickly sent a message, knowing he wouldn't be able to escape anymore. With those Specialists here, meant _they_ were close behind.

He figured that if he sent his message out, the organization will help him escape later.

He started when his office doors burst open.

"Knock! Knock!" A sweet yet teasing voice said.

He pressed 'send' on his mobile as he turned to face the intruders. Not surprised by the six fairies slightly hovering in front of his desk.

"My how rude uninvited guests are these days." He said eyeing the main door behind them.

"Give up! There is no where you can run!" the red haired girl exclaimed as she erected barriers blocking off the exit. He glanced back and saw she even blocked the windows.

"And if I don't?" The man adjusted his tie to conceal his frustrations. He looked down at his phone when he felt it vibrate. His anger and fear rose making him loose all his control when he read the reply:

'Your services will no longer be required. Final mission: redeem yourself.'

"Just give up already! What's the point of fighting anymore?"

"Shut up Blondie! You fairies may have destroyed this base but the Phyre will never stop. We _will_ rule the magical dimension!"

"How will you accomplish that? According to my calculations, more than 80 percent of your organization has been apprehended. It will not be long before we locate the rest, but without its leader, they will naturally disperse."

' _They think I am Master? Fine, that might help me…'_

"You think that will make a difference?! Sure you may have captured our pawns and knights but the match is far from over. I have trained my servants well; they will grow strong without me for a while." He smugly smirked.

"Not if we smoke them out first, and with the Phyre leader as bait they will eventually come to us." The curly haired girl stated.

Five of the fairies moved closer to the man, preparing to arrest him… "Wait." They paused and slightly glanced at their leader while carefully keeping the man in view.

"What's wrong?" The brunette asked as they protectively stepped back towards her.

"He's not the leader of Phyre… are you?" the smirk disappeared from the man's face at her question.

"Of course I am." _'_ She _would figure it out… but something seems off…'_

"If you are, then your followers have no loyalty for you. They all tried fleeing at the first chance they got, leaving you completely defenseless. Not to mention you said 'our pawns' not 'my'. If anything, you work closely with the true leader."

"She's right; in the interrogations, they were all blindly loyal to their leader. But when we attacked the so-called 'pawns' here, they didn't hesitate to escape or surrender." The fairy of music stated

"Then if you aren't the big honcho, then who is?" The fairy of the sun asked

The man sneered at the Winx with pure hatred and disgust. "The Phyre will never bow to likes of you!" He reached into his jacket and pulled out a laser gun.

Before he could fire a barrier was erected around the fairies as morphix binds wrapped tightly around him. He fell to the ground defenseless on his side, bound as he glared up at the fairies.

"I will never tell you anything!" He spat

"There are other ways to find what we seek. We _will_ protect the magical dimension."

He smiled as he realized something. "For once your right Bloom, there _is_ more than one way to get what we want. And we are willing to do anything for what we want. But are _you_ ready to give up anything or any _one_ for the magical dimension's safety?" His smile grew when he saw a flash of worry in her blue eyes before her eyes narrowed at him.

Luckily he was still half-concealed by his desk and his phone was still in his hand when he fell. So he took the chance to quickly send a short message, hoping he wasn't pressing any wrong keys as he blindly typed.

"I will protect everything and everyone. The Company of Light will not fear any threat." Bloom responded confidently.

He ignored the burning pain his phone gave him as it overheated and died. The organization always destroyed any link to their leader when needed. But the man's smile never wavered… he was sure his master got the message… he was sure he completed his final mission.

"O I doubt that. For there is always something that _every_ parent fears, and I am sure you are no exception."

* * *

"AARRGGHHH will you STOP already! I don't care about any of this! You _know_ what I really want!" The dark blue haired girl growled.

"This is important you should pay closer attention." The light purple haired girl replied calmly

"I don't care about these teachings you are forcing me to learn about!"

"You _should_. Or do you enjoy being ignorant?" lifting her chin with a slightly smug expression on her face.

"How much longer are you going to keep me locked up in here?! Isn't it about time you let me out?" she barked out, ignoring the previous question.

"You know very well that your time has not come yet." Casually looking away.

Growling "When will it be _time_? I've been patient long enough! I want out!"

"No. You will be freed when _I_ decide it is time, and that is _not_ now. So I suggest that you keep yourself busy. Be grateful that I allow you to watch the happenings of the physical world."

"But it's sooo boring! Nothing fun or exciting happens. You know my kind like to run wild and feel, to feel the wind in our hair, the freedom in our souls. You know we _hate_ to be locked up in tiny cages." The blue haired girl snapped. "I would think a _lady_ of your _pedigree_ would be more hospitable to us 'lesser creatures'." She added with sarcasm and air quotes.

'Gasp' " _Inhospitable_?! Such an ungrateful mutt! Your room is by far ' _small'_ , it is even larger than _my_ own dwellings!" the light purple haired girl snapped back, her eyes starting to burn with rage at the insult.

"A cage is a cage no matter how big it is. I want to run free, to see the world through my own eyes… not be shown snippets of your choosing."

"I cannot free you … at least not yet. Even if I did, you would still be restricted in your movements and you will still continue to complain. So what does it matter?"

"But _you_ get to leave when you please, while I am constantly imprisoned. Now that is no way to treat a guest."

She replied with a scoff. "You know full well that you are very much _not_ a guest nor a stranger, so there is no reason to be gracious to you as I am. Besides we are _both_ not able to cut our ties from here and 'run free' without resulting in dire consequences. You should be more grateful I _don't_ let you out, without an 'anchor' you will weaken quickly just to disappear once again into nothing. Though if I do release you and you fade away, perhaps you will be lucky this time and become a ghost with _some_ awareness." She smirked knowing her 'guest' couldn't deny a word.

"My so-called 'master' is supposed to be my anchor, but I doubt that you will allow me to bond with her like I am supposed to." She tried to reason.

"You may bond with her when she is strong enough to tame a beast like you."

"If that was the case then you would have freed me years ago. This 'master' must be weak if you don't think she is strong enough by now." The caged girl remarked.

"She is not weak by any means, I assure you."

"Then release me! I hate it in here!"

"I know it is not to your liking, but you must be patient."

"Ugh! Why don't you just kill me then? Put me out of my misery!"

The light purple haired girl tried hard not to roll her eyes. "Enough of your dramatics, you will be freed eventually."

"That's not soon enough… Why do I get the feeling that you are just trying to find ways to keep me locked up. You don't _want_ to free me because you like being the center of attention… or you are afraid to fight me." The caged noticed the other avoiding eye contact and smiled. "That's it, isn't it? Admit it! You're scared of me! You know I'll win."

This time she couldn't stop the rolling of her eyes. "I hope you do recall that if one of us were to fall at the other's hand then we will _both_ fall. What pleasure will there be in victory if it will ultimately end without a true victor, both perished in a permanent draw?"

"For the rush! That would be one heck of an adrenaline rush, and I wouldn't mind parting this world by having some fun. Besides, even fading into _nothing_ is better than being _locked up_ in a cage for all eternity." She barked with a slightly crazed look in her eyes.

'Sigh' "You are still an immature pup that needs strict discipline. I pity your master."

"Well, I pity your _guardian_. Being stuck with such a boring lizard like you must be the worst!"

"Such poor decorum."

"Bite me!"

"Only immature pups would do such unsanitary actions as that."

"Ugh! So prissy and proper, it's sickening. Why can't you be more like me? We are _twins_ after all; embrace your wild side for once."

"We may be sisters, but we are complete opposites; of course we wouldn't have similar tastes. Unless you would like to learn more about proper etiquette and culture?" She smirked.

"Boorrriiinnnngggggg…." The dark haired girl sighed before slowly looking up to show her 'innocent puppy eyes' and pouting her lip ever so slightly "Please sis, I just want to be by your side as you experience the universe. Doesn't it pain you to be apart for so long?"

Turing away she sighed, choosing to ignore the question. "I must be going now; dawn approaches and today is a big day. I shall bid thee farewell, until next time." She turned and disappeared down the dark hallway.

"Humph." Stubbornly she crossed her arms and turned away refusing to show her disappointed or anger.

It grew silent in the caged room, only the sounds of rushing water, as well as some distant whispers from the physical world, could be heard. The dark haired girl took a deep breath before stomping and throwing herself, face first, onto her couch. She turned to face the ceiling, just to frown at the bars that looked down on her. Her frustrations grew the more she glared at the seemingly indestructible cold metal bars, as she recalled the memories from a lifetime ago.

But a mischievous grin began to grow when something began to change in the air around her and an escape plan began to form.

"I may just be a 'pup' for now, but the seals are weakening and as _she_ grows stronger, I do as well. It won't be long until I am able to run free again. The magic is changing, the more it does the more chances I have to escape, and I have a feeling that I will break free sooner rather than later. And when the opportunity arises I won't miss a beat… Will you be ready, dear sister? Will this so-called _master_?"

Her eyes narrowed as they flashed with hatred "Even if she is chosen for me, I _refuse_ to accept anyone as my master. I will _not_ submit to anyone… never again." Her rage subsided as her thoughts began to wander to a new train of thought. "I wasn't lying when I told you I didn't mind dying to find out who is stronger… the light or dark? The sun or the moon?... I am itching to find out. And maybe one day I will."

She shot an energy blast at the bars above her in boredom and stared unwaveringly as the barrier sparked violently at the sudden attack. But her smile grew wide with excitement and joy when she saw that a slight portion of her attack had burned the ceiling beyond the bars, never before had the barrier swayed enough to let anything through especially if it came directly from her.

"You forget that this pup is a predator, I have enough patience to wait and surprise my prey. I _will_ get stronger, I _will_ get out of here, I _will_ find what I have been searching for… the very thing that has been _denied_ to me for so long… and when I am free I _will_ come after you dear sister… and, if necessary, this pathetic ' _master'_ as well. _Nothing_ will stand in my way."

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club**

 **A/N: Hello! Well, here we are at the start of another story. Now if you haven't read 'A blessed Curse' (ABC)**

 **Hello! Well, here we are at the start of another story... So exciting. Now, this is the sequel to 'A blessed Curse' (ABC), so if you haven't read it, I recommend you do before starting this one.**

 **Since** **I plan for these chapters to be fairly long it may take me longer to post, but I will try my best to post as often as I can. Please, let me know what you guys think so far...**

 **I would also like to take this time to say a very special thanks to Skylar Sparks. Thank you for giving me the motivation to post and for making me smile. You're amazing! I hope this will be to your liking. :-)**

 **I appreciate you all** **for taking the time to read my story and I do hope you have the time to review.**

 **Love you all**

 **~ P.** **Yukiko** : **-D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

' _Cari I honestly believe you have gotten us utterly lost… we were supposed to stay close to the school…_ ' the soft voice told the young fairy.

"No… we are just slightly… turned around. I'm sure we are closer than it seems… besides where is your sense of adventure and discovery?" The young red haired girl asked while avoiding tripping on the large tree roots.

' _Your so called 'sense of adventure and discovery' is what resulted in this predicament. The king and queen told you not to get into trouble and it became the first thing you do.'_

"Akira, you worry too much." She responded with an eye roll "Worse case scenario I will just fly out of here." She responded as she glanced at the barely visible sky above the dark tree line.

' _If you were_ paying attention _you could tell that we are no longer in Red Fountain's part of the forest, that Bear you befriended left us in the middle of Cloud Tower's forest! This forest prevents the use of fairy magic.'_ Cari slightly paused at this for a second. _'And I must worry for the both of us, for I know you won't. Never thinking of the consequences.'_

"Well… I don't see the point in worrying until there is a real reason to panic. Besides what can happen? We tend to be lucky most of the time."

The young girl yelped as she suddenly crashed into something that made her fall hard on her back. Rubbing the back of her neck she looked up and paled.

 _ROOOAAARRRRR_

Her hair flew back with the horrid breath the large grey salamander like monster before her roared with. Sheepishly she smiled and gave a little wave before quickly scrambling out of its swiping claw to her feet. She ran as fast as could, glancing back to see that it was chasing her.

She threw a weak fire blast at the creature and saw it just eat it whole. "What the heck is _that_?!"

' _Why don't you pay attention to_ anything _important?! That's a Huarwar a creature of dark magic, it feeds on fairy magic when able. Your powers are useless against it.'_

"Well, that's just great… now what are we going to do?"

' _Run faster? Pray you are lucky enough?'_

"That's some great advice Akira!" Cari exclaimed in frustration as she avoided branches.

' _Well, at least you are taking THAT advice. You should've taken the advice of not wandering in here earlier to prevent this!'_

"You are so not…" Cari looked back and saw the monster only inches away, opening his mouth to eat her. "heeellPPPIIINNGG…!" She shut her eyes and braced for the pain.

She slowly opened her eyes when she didn't feel any pain, just air rushing past her. She was soaring through the trees. "What the-?!" Her arms automatically reached up for any support.

Shocked she turned and saw that she had wrapped her arms around a boy's neck. Most of his face was covered by his scarf, his low hood covering his eyes as he jumped from tree to tree. He was holding her bridal style while all she could do was stare.

He finally stopped and landed on a high tree branch. Once he stood her on her feet, he quickly turned around and looked down to the forest floor.

' _Wow I think you really are lucky after all.'_ Akira whispered in astonishment, shaking Cari out of her frozen state. "W-who…are you? What are you doing here? Don't you know it's dangerous in here?" She asked.

"Do _you_ know? And is that really the first thing you should say after someone saves you from being eaten?" he replied then he glanced back at her questioningly. She quickly became mesmerized by the cool glare his silver eyes were giving her, under the shadow of his hood.

"I-you- ugh- T-thank you… for saving my life." She stuttered in embarrassment when he slightly narrowed his eyes at her, making her tear her eyes away from his, before mumbling "But I would've found a way to save myself…"

She turned to glare at him when she heard him snort his doubt. "Why you-"

"Looks like nothing is following us." He interrupted. "I'll take you back to my place just to be safe though." He quickly turned, grabbed her bridal style again and keeping to the trees he jumped deeper into the forest.

Once her shock was gone she realized he was carrying her again. "Hey, I can walk on my own!"

"Don't struggle. You'll fall."

Cari glanced down and gulped when she noticed how high they were. She was never afraid of heights but without her wings or magic she knew that she wouldn't be able to safely land on the ground if she fell. Tentatively, she reached up and clasped her hands around her savior's neck again.

After a few moments she saw some sunlight through the trees. Once it got brighter he suddenly jumped off a tree branch and dropped to the forest floor. Surprised, Cari let out a yelp of surprise as she tightened her hold on his neck.

She was so surprised by the sudden drop she didn't feel that her feet were touching the ground now.

"You can let go now." He told her after a moment. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw silver looking back at her with cool indifference. Seeing that they were safe on the ground and so close to each other, she quickly pushed him away from her, resulting in her awkwardly falling hard on her bottom.

"Ow…" She looked up and saw he was offering his hand to her. Sheepishly she took it and let him stand her up. "Thanks." She said as she rubbed her behind and brushed herself off while avoiding his gaze.

"Strange girl." Cari's cheeks pinkened and she snapped up to glare at him.

Crossing her arms she huffed before sarcastically saying. "Gee thanks."

He just walked past her and knelt by the stream. Looking around Cari took in the area. They were in a small clearing with plenty of sunlight filtering through; there was a small hut that stood beside the stream the boy was kneeling by. It looked to be the only open sunlit place in this whole creepy forest. Curiously she walked towards her savior until she stood close beside him.

He pulled down the scarf that was covering his face and bent down to drink the water from his cupped hands. Once he drank his fill, he splashed some water on his face. He glanced up and locked eyes with Cari's.

She couldn't help but stare at him. He was fairly handsome, soft boyish features, making him to be around her age, and his silver piercing eyes contrasted against his midnight black hair. Silence passed between them, until he arched a brow at her, startling her from her trance.

"Umm… thank you for saving me and everything. I don't know what could've happened without your help." He stood up and turned to fully face her as he wiped his face with an end of his scarf.

"Fairies shouldn't wander in this forest."

Rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment she responded: "Yea… I kinda took a wrong turn somewhere…" He arched his brow in silent question. "I was taking a walk while I waited for Tecna and Timmy to get out of their meeting… I made a friend out of a Bear and took a ride on his back… when he had to leave I… didn't know where I was… I must've went the wrong way and then ended up in front of that monster… then you saved me… thanks again… so can I ask who you are now?"

When he didn't answer as quick as she wanted she wondered if he had a name, living in the forest an all.

"Umm… name? you knowww… what do they call you?"

"Manu"

"Nice to meet you, Manu. I'm Calida Cari, but you can just call me Cari. What are you doing here? Do you live here?" She asked motioning to the hut.

"Exam." He replied casually. "A rite of passage for my clan."

"That seems dangerous, aren't you a bit young to be on your own?" He replied with a shrug.

"How long are you staying?"

"A month."

"How long have you been here?"

"A Week."

"You wouldn't happen to know the way out of here, would you?"

"Of course. Red Fountain or Magix?"

"Red Fountain would be great."

He nodded and turned towards his hut. "I'll take you. Just need to…" Cari rushed forward when the boy suddenly collapsed on the ground.

"Hey you ok?" She turned him over, rested his head on her lap and placed a hand on his forehead.

"He doesn't have a fever. What's wrong with him?" Suddenly a growl was heard coming from his stomach.

' _I believe he's just hungry.'_ Akira commented "Yea… then let's find him something to eat; maybe he has something in the hut…"

Gently laying him back down, she ran into the hut and looked around. She was disappointed to see the kitchen was completely empty, not a scrap of food anywhere. "He's been here a week and there is nothing in here? Not even a cup of water?"

' _Maybe he doesn't know how to collect food?'_ "Maybe…Well, then it's a good thing that Riven drilled me in wilderness survival." Cari said with a smirk as she walked back to Manu, knelt down and took a look around the small clearing.

"I should go foraging, but I don't want to leave him here defenseless. Monsters might find him while I'm gone. Maybe I have a snack in my bag." She shrugged off the small pack that she was carrying and looked inside.

She smiled when she saw her pet bat lazily rubbing his eyes against the sunlight. "I'm sorry Glyde. I didn't mean to wake you." _'How he slept during the monster attack or the tree jumping baffles me.'_ Akira said in a confused tone. "Well, he is used to me being active while he's in my bag." _'More like being rowdy.'_ Cari rolled her eyes at the remark, but brightened when an idea formed in her head.

"Hey Glyde, do you think you can go search for some berries for me please?"

"Cree, cree." The little bat nodded, excited to be asked to do something for her, as it flew off into the forest.

Smiling the young girl continued to dig into her bag. She sighed in relief when she found a protein bar, apple sauce and a few packs of freeze dried food.

She grabbed the apple sauce and carefully removed the sealed lid. Thankfully this brand came with its own tiny spoon. Carefully lifting Manu's head, she spread some sauce inside and on his lips. Cari smiled when he instinctively licked it off his lips.

She continued this process until about half of the cup was gone. When she reached to grab another spoonful, he began to stir. "Hey you awake now?"

Slowly he opened his eyes then quickly sat up, bumping their heads in the process. "OW! What was that for?!" Cari exclaimed holding her head in pain.

"What were YOU doing to ME?" The boy exclaimed back as he held his head in pain.

"Argh! I was just feeding you some apple sauce since you were stupid enough to starve yourself into fainting!" Cari yelled as she held out the cup as proof.

He just stared at her baffled. "Why?"

"Huh?" the red head asked still rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.

"Why would you help me? You don't know anything about me?" Calming down Cari shuffled closer to him, seeing confusion and insecurity in his eyes. "Is it because you need me to get out of the forest?"

"Oo yea, I forgot about that. When you fainted I was so worried that it must've slipped my mind." She looked away remembering she was lost. "I couldn't just sit around and do nothing while you were hurting. I had to help you, besides you saved me it was the least I could do." She said a bit sheepishly.

Silence dragged on, and he was just staring at her. Feeling insecure about his constant staring and awkward silence, Cari just raised her hand and offered the rest of the apple sauce to him. "Want the rest?"

Still shocked he just numbly took the cup from her and mumbled his thanks. She smiled brightly as he slowly began eating.

"Ok you relax a bit while I boil up some water. Hope you don't mind me using the small pot from the kitchen." He shook his head before she ran inside the hut and then quickly came out and headed to the stream, pot in hand. She scooped up some water then carefully walked over to the small fire pit.

Arranging it a bit, she placed a few flat rocks in the middle and surrounded it by fire wood before placing the pot on top of them. She looked into her bag hoping to find a lighter but was disappointed to find none.

Shrugging she raised her hands above the wood. _'Cari, I don't think -'_ ignoring her partner and struggled to summon her flame, then sighed in relief as she saw the fire grow. She turned when she sensed Manu sit beside her and smiled that he looked better.

"How did you do that?"

She slightly cocked her head to one side in confusion. "Umm… I'm a fairy… I thought you knew that…"

He shook his head. "No, you shouldn't have been able to use any fairy magic at all. This forest drains fairy magic."

"Oo really? Why?"

He stared at her, dumbfounded. "You wandered in here without knowing that?"

"Umm… yes?" ' _And this is why I tell you to listen to important details. You would get less of those looks if you did.'_ "What are you talking about?" Cari mumbled to Akira.

"I'm surprised you don't know about this forest." Manu responded with an arched brow.

Cari rubbed the back of her head awkwardly realizing that he heard her question to Akira. "Haha… yea silly me.."

'THAT _look… that 'this girl is crazy' look…_ ' "Whyyy you…" Cari growled at her inner dragon.

"Huh?"

"Oo umm… whyyy… don't you tell me then…about the forest I mean" she responded with a smile.

"Hmm…" eyeing her suspiciously he just shrugged before finishing the apple sauce. "This forest is surrounded by dark magic. Within its borders, it drains any magical creature that has good magic. Sure, if the fairy or wizard is strong enough it will just dampen their abilities, but not many are strong enough to summon up their magic in here. So, it's surprising that you were able to light the fire."

"Oo I guess I'm special that way…?"

" _Why_ are you so special? _What_ are you? You are too young to be a fully trained fairy." he leaned is close while narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

She nervously leaned back at the close proximity to the handsome boy, not breaking eye contact. "I told you… I'm Cari… just an ordinary fairy in-training…"

"No ordinary fairy your age would have been able to make that fire with their magic in here." Manu motioned to the fire before them. She didn't know how to respond as those breathtaking silver eyes stared her down.

"umm…" _'Don't tell him who you really are. He may have saved you, but his intentions might change if he knows you hold the dragon fire. You won't be able to defend yourself here.'_ Akira warned quickly. "I'm…"

Cari jumped when the piercing silver eyes disappeared behind a fluffy black body. Blinking, she saw that Glyde was attacking him, forcing him back a few feet away from her. Shaking her head out of her shock, she quickly stood up and ran over to them. "Glyde stop!" She reached down and as soon as she had a good hold on the tiny creature it released his hold and stopped his scratching to keep from hurting her, but continued to hiss.

"What the heck?!" Manu yelled as he glared at the hissing bat before Cari turned him to face her.

"Glyde behave." She scolded softly as she tapped him on the nose. She looked back at the boy with apologetic eyes. "Sorry, he can get pretty protective when a stranger gets too close to me. I've had… _issues_ with strangers in the past. Now…" Turning the bat to face the boy. "Glyde, apologize to Manu I know we just met but he saved our life so we can give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Besides, he needs our help." When the bat still refused to apologize, she hugged him close in a loving squeeze. "Come on Glyde, he really does need our help. Can't you see that he's starving? Can you let him just wither away and die, after he saved me from a horrible death? Without him I would never be able to see my parents again, or Rose, or my grandparents, and I especially wouldn't have been able to hug you again…" the bat's eyes widen at that thought and quickly turned to wrap his wings around her neck.

She gently pat his back in comfort. "Shouldn't we show him our thanks?"

Glyde looked from her to the boy and back again, before flying out of Cari's arms to the edge of the tree line. He picked up a large (for the bat) bundled leafs and flew to Manu. He hovered until the boy raised and cupped his hands together. Gently the little bet placed the bundle into his hands before going to land on his master's shoulder.

Manu unwrapped the bundle to reveal a bunch of berries and herbs. Cari giggled as the little bat nuzzled her neck as she praised him. "You did very well Glyde. Thank you." Looking at the unmoving boy she tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong? Don't you like berries?"

Shaking his head "No, I don't. Besides, are you sure these are even edible?" He replied sharply as he glared at the berries in his hands.

Cari giggled ignoring his sharp tone, and reached down to pick up a berry from the bundle. She quickly popped the berry into her mouth happy to taste its sweetness.

"Glyde is able to use his echolocation to tell if something is edible or not. These are delicious, try one." Nodding he looked down and ate one a bit hesitantly, but soon gave a soft smile.

Before she could admire his smile, Akira forced her attention to the fire. 'Gasp.' "The water is boiling over!" running back to the fire pit, she bent over and reached for the pot with her bare hands.

"Hey wait!" Manu exclaimed as he rushed over to her.

"Huh? What's wrong?" She asked as she straightened up with the hot pot in her hands.

Without spilling she placed the pot down on a flat rock beside her, before looking back at him, still frozen. "Are you ok, Manu?"

She slightly jumped when he suddenly grabbed her hands and began to turn them over in his. "Umm…Manu?"

"How are you not burnt? You touched a boiling pot… straight out of the fire!"

Realization hit her, she looked away. "Oo yea… umm… let's say fire doesn't bother me much."

"How? A kind of training?" Still looking for burns

"Umm… sure let's go with that." Cari giggled in embarrassment. "So anyway…" She started as she gently pulled her hands back before her cheeks could get and brighter and bent down to pull out the freeze dried food out of her bag. "What kind of meal do you want?"

Once picked, she prepared his meal and handed it to him as soon as it was ready. She knew it looked gross so she wasn't surprised how he stared at it at first. Wryly he took a bite, then surprise sparked in his silver eyes before he happily began to dig in.

"I'm glad you like it. I know it's not much but I figured you needed some fast food. Don't want you fainting again."

Pausing he shot her a look. "I don't 'faint'. I had to rest."

She had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. "Ok whatever you say."

As he ate his meal, Cari began to ask questions. "So how old are you? You look to be around my age, I just turned 10."

Without looking at her he mumbled "10"

"Cool we're the same age! Though, I'm surprised that you're pretty strong _and_ fast."

Waving off his scowl she continued. "Calm down. It's a compliment. I haven't met someone as fast as me, it's kinda exciting. Makes me wonder who's faster."

He scoffed, looking away "You are implying that you are fast. If that was the case then I wouldn't have needed to save you."

"Hey with my wings I'm the fastest in my age group. Probably on my whole planet, no one has bested me yet." She said proudly.

"That's why you were almost eaten today. You rely too much on magic. Without magic you would be completely defenseless even if you have basic survival knowledge." He replied with a quick glance at the way the rocks were arranged in the fire pit.

' _He's correct. As I have been telling you, what's the point of your mind being strong if you body is weak.'_ Akira commented.

"And you rely too much on brute strength. That's why you _fainted_. Don't you know you need food, especially when you're trying to survive in a forest filled with man eating creatures?" She replied slightly annoyed with both their comments on her weakness.

"I was working on it…" Manu grumbled as he took his last bite.

"Then as a thank you. I will help you finish it with my _basic_ survival knowledge."

Smiling, Cari grabbed the bundle Glyde brought back and walked into the hut with Manu following. Inside she separated the berries and herbs and started to tell him how to tell if they are edible or not. She went over each herb and their use, she was pleased to see that Glyde even collected some cooking and medicinal herbs to heal and prevent infections from cuts. She even described plants and berries that were poisonous to eat or touch. Once she finished she had Manu repeat everything back to make sure he remembered everything correctly. She was surprised that he was able to memorize everything on the first go.

After that she showed him how to catch the fish swimming in the stream and how to properly cook them. Normally she would use her magic to make a spear and the throw it to catch the fish, but without it she was forced to just instruct Manu how to make the fishing spear and time his attack in order to catch the fish.

Satisfied that he knew enough to survive on his own now, they sat by the fire and enjoyed each other's company as they ate the fish they caught.

As they waited for their fish to cook, Cari couldn't help but talk and ask questions. She asked him any question she could think of, from the silliest to the more personal. She didn't mind when he chose to either skip the question or give her a vague answer, of course he wouldn't tell all his secrets to a stranger. When they got to the topics about his clan she grew more curious as to why they would send him here.

"I'm surprised that your clan never showed you how to survive in this forest but left you here anyway." A bit angered at their actions to Manu.

"I should've been more open to all parts of my training. I mainly concentrated on a single specialty. I thought I had more time to learn the rest later. When I was informed that I would take the exam early I wasn't as worried because it is normally taken as a team or at least a pair, since that is how we tend to complete missions, never alone."

"So I'm guessing that you only trained as a warrior, right?" He nodded "Is there a reason why they didn't pair you up? But even so, you should've prepared at least your food supply. Not like they told you the day before." She finished casually.

"Actually, it was an hour before." Cari's eyes widened in shock. "Certain circumstances resulted in taking my exam prematurely and suddenly. I… was not prepared. I was lucky enough to grab the few supplies I brought. I had assumed my partner would be more prepared about wilderness survival, but I should've known that I would've been sent alone." His bangs hid his eyes but she could tell that he was sad.

' _Such a horrid clan. Where is the honor in sending an untrained child alone to fend for themselves. You should tell him to leave them; he could find a better place elsewhere.'_ Akira remarked in disgust.

' _Your right… but even if I told him to come back with me I don't think he would leave his clan, or else he would've left already. For now I think he just needs some support…'_ Cari replied a bit saddened and conflicted. But chose to bury those feelings to give him the confidence she felt for him.

"Don't worry I taught you everything you need to know to not starve. And with your training and skills as a warrior I have full confidence you will survive and pass this test no problem!" Cari locked eyes with his. She had no doubt in her words, she knew now he would be fine. She smiled more when she saw the doubt and sadness leave his silver eyes.

"So how does a little fairy know _how_ to survive in the wild, but not able to do most of it the without magic anyway? Isn't it unusual for a fairy to care or learn about anything that doesn't require magic? Or that is cute?"

"My papa's friend, Riven, taught me. He told me that it is important to know a bunch of different things because you never know which lesson will save your life. As a group you are always the strongest and the most prepared, but being alone is when you are the most vulnerable no matter how powerful you are. The one lesson you choose to ignore because you thought it was useless to you could end up being the one to determine life or death." She smiled softly as she recalled Riven's lessons. "And I know he won't ever say it but he cares and worries for me. He almost died once when he was suddenly forced to survive in this same forest when he was a student. And since I tend to get into trouble a lot he's scared I won't be ready. And I guess since I never thought I _wouldn't_ have my magic I kinda pushed away his offers to fully train me. I have always been more interested in my magical and mental training instead of physical. But I'm glad I at least know _how_ to survive without magic… though actually doing it is a different story. And seeing how strong you are makes me want to think about accepting his offer." She felt determination growing inside her, like whenever she found a new magical challenge to accomplish.

"It must be nice having people supporting you…" Noticing a hint of sadness in his voice she reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"I'm sure you have at least one person from your clan who supports you…" her heart broke a little when he shook his head.

"My clan doesn't favor me too much. I'm seen as an unwanted curse that socializes with the grim reaper. I'm sure they are all hoping this forest keeps me."

"Is that why you are here alone and early?" Pain and anger clutched her heart when he shrugged his response.

' _How could they be so cruel… no child should face the world alone without a soul to believe in them…'_ Akira whispered sadly.

"I believe in you. I'll be your support." His silver eyes grew wide and he turned to look into her sincere crystal blue eyes. "I know you are strong, brave, and selfless. And curse or not you _saved_ me from the grim reaper. I'm glad I got to meet you. Your clan is stupid for not accepting or supporting you. So instead _I_ will be your support now and forever." She wasn't lying; she honestly wanted him to know that no matter what she will always be cheering him on. She wanted to talk to him more, get to know him more, show him how to have fun, to be friends with him. She wanted him to know he wasn't alone… not anymore.

Before she could say more or hear his response, a bright purple light shine through the trees. They looked up in time to see a purple pixilated firework explode in the sky. "Oops. Looks like I've been gone too long. Tecna is calling me."

"I will take you back." He said as he ate a berry before standing up. She frowned when she saw a flash of sadness in his eyes. She looked down and noticed there were only a few berries left.

"Before we go, I want to try something." She grabbed the remaining berries and walked over to a sunny patch in the end of the clearing. She began to dig a few holes before dropping a couple of berries into each hole.

"Why are you wasting the berries?" He asked as she covered them in soil.

"You'll see." She winked as she pulled out the necklace she had tucked under her shirt.

It was a heart shaped pendant hanging delicately on a silver chain. It was the same shade of blue as her eyes and had a delicate strip of purple wrapping around it. It glowed softly in the sunlight as Cari unhooked the chain from around her neck.

She wrapped the chain around her hands and fingers holding the pendant tight in-between her hands, slightly dangling above the dirt mounds that covered the berries. Closing her eyes she focused and she felt the pendant began to warm more and more. It felt like it was being surrounded in a gentle flame, then she pushed and guided the flame and into the soil and into the berries she buried.

She willed the berries to accept the magic she was giving them and had them grow, bigger and bigger until three fully grown berry bushes stood before her. Once her spell was complete her body felt exhausted and she gasped at the dizzy spell that hit her.

' _Being reckless again… at this rate you are going to pass out and get stuck in this forest…'_ Akira remarked. Cari internally groaned at her nagging partner as she tried to catch her breath on her hands and knees.

"Are you ok?" She felt a bit stronger when she sensed him close to her.

After a few more deep breathes she looked up, smiling brightly. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Why did you do that? That was dangerous."

"Now you will have an endless supply of berries. I enchanted the berries I buried to grow these bushes." Cari said as she turned to sit so she could face him.

"But it won't matter for long. The forest will just drain the fairy magic used to enchant them. They will wither away." She shook her head and smiled.

"I didn't use fairy magic… I used my pendant to channel the natural magic in this forest to enchant them… I noticed that the trees and shrubby here don't die, they look perfectly fine just a little creepy looking… So I just tapped into that natural magic… the forest won't kill it." She said confidently, thankful Flora showed her how to channel Nature Magic, but it was always a challenge for her.

She slowly stood and walked to the berry bush. Her legs felt a bit wobbly, but was glad to sense Manu instantly beside her when she felt she might fall. Silently giving him her thanks she reached down and plucked a berry, and nodded when a new one instantly grew in its place. She ate the berry before fully turning to him.

' _Hmm… I should've channeled a bit more they aren't fully ready yet…'_

"In a few hours they will all be perfectly ripe, they are a little sour right now. And it will always be full no matter how many berries you take from it. I hope this will make things easier for you while you're here." She smiled at his nod.

.

Carrying her, bridal style, they reached the border of the forest, where Red Fountain's land meets Cloud Tower's. Making sure she was steady on her feet, he released his hold on her shoulders and pointed in the direction of the school. Cari took a few steps forward, once in Red Fountain's forest she felt a huge weight fade away. She already felt her strength replacing the weariness she felt just a few moments ago. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun and soft breeze through the trees.

"I'm sorry I can't take you farther. I'm not allowed to leave this part of the forest." Cari just shook her head and turned to look at him. She felt conflicted in leaving him behind. So tempted to reach over and pull him to the warm forest and leave the cold one behind.

' _He won't abandon his clan, even if they treat him horribly… He is very honorable for one so young.'_ Akira commented.

Cari put her worries to the back of her mind and gave him a small smile. "It's ok. I can find my way back. Besides, I can already feel my strength returning, soon I'll be able to fly. Thank you for taking me this far." Manu gave her a curt nod.

"Watch your back. And thanks for the food." He mumbled as he looked away a light blush on his cheeks. Making Cari lightly blush as well.

"Thank you for saving my life. I hope I helped. I wish you luck on your exam, though I'm sure you will be fine without it." Cari said with a confident smile.

"I _will_ pass my test. I will not perish here; your assistance has guaranteed that. But it might be futile when I return to my clan. They will find a way to make me fall sooner or later. It might be better to just give up." He quickly covered his mouth when he finished.

' _He truly feels all alone in the world…'_ Akira said sadly. Cari gave him a sad smile. "Manu, can you promise me something? Promise that we will see each other again."

Taken aback by her request he crossed his arms and looked away. "There will be no reason to see you again. A being of good magic has no reason to see a cursed creature outside the battlefield."

She reached behind her neck and unhooked her blue pendent.

' _Cari… what are you doing?'_

Ignoring her inner dragon she clutched the blue heart tightly in her hands as she walked to stand right before the border of the forests, before extending her arm to hover a few inches from him and waited. His hand reached up, palm up and stopped right below her fisted hand. Slowly she placed her necklace into his hand as she gently closed his hand with both of hers.

"Now will you promise to meet again, so you can return my necklace?" Blue eyes locking with silver.

"Isn't this very important to you?"

' _Of course it is! Which is why you_ shouldn't _be giving it away!'_ Akira exclaimed slightly panicked

Cari continued to ignore her and nodded. "More reason for you to give it back one day… promise?"

He nodded once. "As proof of my promise, you can hold on to this." He reached into his coat and pulled out a small tanto blade.

The sheath was decorated with beautiful silver and gold symbols that reached to the tip of the hilt. He held it out to her to accept. He gently placed it in her hands as she looked from him to the blade and back. She unsheathed the blade and saw that it was a black blade instead of the usual silver.

' _Don't touch the blade… that blade was created to specifically fight against fairy magic. If cut, it can fatally drain you. Why does he have a blade such as this?'_ Akira told her in curiosity, shock and suspicion.

To any fairy the blade would look evil and frightening, anyone could feel the chilling danger it held, but Cari was mesmerized and felt protected with it.

"It belonged to my father." Snapping to look back at him she quickly sheathed the blade and held it back to him.

"I couldn't take this. It's too important and precious to you. I-I don't need any proof I believe you!"

He just pushed the blade closer to her. "More reason for you to give it back one day. Agreed?"

Cari blushed when he threw her words back at her with a small smile on his lips, and amusement dancing in his silver eyes. Mesmerized, all she could do is nod as she felt a fluttering warmth spread within her. _'How could a simple smile make me feel this way?'_ She wondered to herself.

They both looked down when they felt tiny nails softly clawing their hands. Glyde was glaring at Manu's hand, trying to force it off Cari's.

The boy just snorted as he pulled his hand back. "Hopefully the next time we meet your familiar will have better manners." The bat just gave him a hiss before rubbing his head on Cari's neck.

"Familiar? What's that?" she asked as she pat the nuzzling bat.

"A creature that is contracted to a single magical being. Though difficult to cast, once the contract is made the creature will serve their master in whatever way they need or are ordered to. Be it protector, caretaker, or servant. The bond is unique. The familiar's power and abilities will depend on the master's magical abilities and needs. This always causes the familiar to be protective of their master. He's already very protective of you so I assumed he was your familiar."

' _Sounds more like forced into a life of servitude.'_ Cari shook her head "I wouldn't make him do anything he doesn't want to. He's free to be himself." Manu just shrugged.

Cari looked to the sky when another firework went off. "I better get going." She said as she transformed into her fairy form. She looked back and gave Manu a bright smile.

"Thanks again." She saw her pendant in his outstretched hand, he was thinking of giving it back.

' _Good he's offering it back, he doesn't want it. Take it back, Cari, you need it!'_ Akira pleaded

' _Or maybe it's too girly…'_ Cari responded to her dragon.

She reached over and touched her pendant with her finger as it lay in his cupped hand. It quickly glowed brightly.

When the light died down, the pendant had changed its shape. It became a blue orb with a purple streak wrapping around it. Looking carefully you could see the light outline of its original heart shape.

"There. I changed it so it would look less 'girly', Riven told me guys don't like to be seen with girly things on them." She looked up and silver locked with blue. "As long as you have my pendent, it will bring you good luck and warmth. I will support you through it. So there is no excuse to break your promise, ok?" She smiled at his stoic stare. When he gave a mumbled agreement, she allowed her wings to lift her up.

"I promise to take care of your blade! I will always keep it with me!" Cari smiled brightly as she held the sheathed blade close to her chest, when she got high enough she turned and flew above the tree line towards Red Fountain.

' _I do believe you made another reckless decision Cari. That pendant was extremely important and you gave it away to a stranger.'_ Akira said with an exasperated sigh.

"He wasn't a complete stranger Akira. He saved our lives, and after spending time with him I could tell he had a good heart. Besides we made a promise, I will get it back… eventually."

' _People change Cari… not always for the better. I worry that it will fall into the wrong hands, or you will never see it again… And how will you deal in the meantime? You needed that pendant… Glaedr will not be pleased to learn you no longer have it...'_

They were relieved when they saw Tecna and Timmy waiting for them by the entrance of Red Fountain. Cari waved as she started to fly down.

"I don't believe people really change Akira… not immensely like how your thinking… they just hide behind masks… like Nicolas. And I have a strong feeling that he needed my pendant more than I did; besides I know we will see each other again. One day…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Princess Cari! The King and Queen are awaiting your presence in the dining room for breakfast!" A petite servant girl called out from the edge of the training field.

"Coming!" The young light red head called back as she finished her round with the punching bag. She whipped the light sweat off her brow as she took off the wraps on her hands before running to her room to clean up.

' _I told you that you were going to be late if you worked out this morning.'_ A soft voice told her.

"O hush. You know I can't start a day without at least a light workout, or I will be irritable all day." Cari remarked her inner dragon as she hopped into the shower.

' _To an average fairy OR princess that was by far a_ light _workout. Why you insist on strengthening your body to such lengths still baffles me.'_ Akira said with a bored tone as Cari dried off and ran into her large walk-in closet.

"You know why. Now quit complaining and help me make sure I'm not forgetting anything."

She quickly pulled on her dark purple dress shirt and light blue jeans as she glanced over her shoes before deciding to wear her favorite high heels. Once they were strapped on she made sure her three charms were securely fastened to her belt before she buckled it through the dress shirt's belt loops. She jumped in front of her full body mirror. Giving herself a once over, she made sure the shirt wasn't folded in at the back and the belt hung snug on her lower hips. She sharply swayed her hips side to side making sure her medium sized charms of a light blue facing up dragon with dark orange eyes, a dark red flame with a small bright blue flame in the middle, and deep orange/red wolf facing down with light blue eyes wouldn't fall off her belt.

Once satisfied she collected her thigh length hair in her hands and pulled it into a high side ponytail to her left, pinning back any loose fly-aways. She did a quick turn to make sure her hair was good, as she twisted her hair in her hands to give it that soft curl at the end, smiling as the thick purple streak stuck out against her light red hair. Making sure her side bangs, with a few purple streaks, were neat she ran out her closet to throw a few more things into her suitcase.

"Ok. Let's hope I got everything this time." Cari said as she closed her suitcase and rolled it to lean by her door, knowing someone will be by to send it to her dorm room at Alfea.

' _I'm sure we will back later this week… again. Finally 18 and you have yet to mature enough not to forget something.'_ Akira teased which caused Cari to roll her eyes before running to meet her family for breakfast.

.

"Cari! Just in time, sweetie. I had Chef Ron cook your favorite this morning."

"Thanks Mama. Good Morning, Papa." The young fairy smiled as she gave a kiss to her parents before sitting down to the right of her mother.

"I'm surprised that you made it while your food was still warm this time. Only did a light workout, did you?" The king teased with a wink as he drank his coffee.

Giggling Cari responded "Yup, wish I had time for a harder workout but gotta run an errand before class today." she happily poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"I'm pretty sure _normal_ princesses don't go around gaining muscles like you do. Keep this up sis and you won't have any feminine curves to catch a boyfriend with."

She turned to glare at her 16-year-old little brother that was sitting across from her as he bit his toast, staring back as though bored. He was the spitting image of Sky, in both height and eyes, just with light strawberry blonde hair. He always kept his hair slightly messy to keep from looking too much like their father, which was good especially today as he wore the Red Fountain uniform.

She was a bit confused about his slightly harsh tone but then noticed the slight dark circles under his eyes. ' _Someone's grumpy…_ ' she smirked and decided to just playfully tease him back.

"Don't worry Aiden, Red Fountain will help you _gain_ some muscle, so you won't be jealous of your big sister for long. And I don't need fatty curves to get a boyfriend." She stuck out her tongue.

"Hopefully this year Alfea will finally help you gain some _insight_ in becoming a proper crown princess befitting Eraklyon." Cari opened her mouth to respond but stopped when their father cleared his throat.

"You two better hurry or you will be late on your first day of school." He said with a smile as his kids mumbled their agreement as they ate their breakfast.

"Aiden, are you excited for your first day at Red Fountain?"

"Sure am, Dad!" The young prince responded with excitement brightening his sleepy blue eyes.

Smiling fondly, Sky nodded. "Make sure you pay close attention to your studies they might just save your life one day."

The boy nodded "I'll train hard. I will definitely make you proud!"

"You always make me proud, son. Just be careful and no reckless behavior from _either_ of you." He glanced over at his daughter who just regarded her father with feign innocent blue eyes, and he just shook his head as the Queen giggled.

"They are both bound to be reckless, Sky. They are _our_ children after all and it's not like we didn't get ourselves into all kinds of trouble back then." Bloom said with mirth dancing in her eyes.

"And _that's_ what I am worried about Bloom." Sky responded with a dejected sigh.

"O they'll be fine. Besides their schools are close to each other, and can easily rush to each other if need be. Right?" They glanced at each other and stuck their tongues out before nodding to their mother who just smiled proudly in return.

* * *

Before long the two siblings walked through the portal Bloom opened for them and they stood before the shopping district of Magix City.

"Alright we have just enough time to get what we need, catch the bus, and make it to school on time." Cari said as she quickly lead the way to the store she had in mind.

"You didn't need to come with me you know, not like you need anything from here. Besides I could've just gotten one from the school." Aiden said crossing his arms "No point in both of us being late."

"Psh. I know for a fact that you will hate the shields they offer at Red Fountain. They are heavy, bulky and just a pain to use. It's better to get one from here," she smiled as they reached the store "they have the best equipment around and can even customize them to your needs. You wouldn't want to slow your team down just because your equipment sucks, would you?" She smiled when she heard him mumble no. "Besides I was the one who broke your shield in our sparring match yesterday its only right I help you get a new one. And you forget little brother, I am always late." She giggled when he rolled his eyes, as they entered the Armor Store.

.

After a few minutes, the two siblings exited the store happy they found the perfect shield. "This feels so much better than my old one!" Aiden remarked as he held the shield on his left arm smiling brightly.

"See everything happens for a reason. Now I'm happy I broke your old one." Cari teased with a wink as her brother rolled his eyes.

"It is wonderful to see that the Prince found his ideal shield, but if you both don't hurry you will miss the bus." The siblings looked at the small violet-backed starling with a silk white ribbon tied around her neck perched on Cari's shoulder before looking to the bus stop about two blocks away where said bus was just arriving and boarding.

"O crud! Time to run for it!" They both took off in a sprint, Aiden folding away his shield to run faster, the starling flying close behind. Thankfully they boarded the bus just in time and took the seats in the deserted far back. They took a moment to catch their breath before laughter erupted from them.

"Thanks for warning us, Akira." Aiden told the violet bird standing on the seat's back before them.

"Yea, way to keep a look out. I owe you one." Cari smiled at her partner.

"A new ribbon would be nice." Akira tweeted sweetly to her fairy, who just rolled her eyes.

"Fineeee, I will get you a new ribbon."

"I'm still amazed that you've mastered the way to give your inner dragon a physical body, Cari. Everyone said it was near impossible." The young prince praise as he gently petted Akira's small head.

"Well, our _existence_ was considered an impossibility so I figured why not try, and it helps that I have Glaedr to help me out. Besides, I doubt Akira liked being cooped up in my head all the time." Cari said while tapping the little bird on the beak.

"If that isn't the truth. Boredom had become my friend, I am very thankful that I am able to spread my wings and feel the world alongside you, instead of from you." Akira said with a slight bow to her fairy who just waved off the bird's thanks in embarrassment.

"It's nothing, glad you're happy." Cari mumbled.

"The fact that you are able to keep Akira's physical form constantly active without any strain on your mind or body, AND have a strong familiar that can change his shape at the same time is a major accomplishment." Aiden commented. "Speaking of which, where is Glyde? Don't tell me you forgot him at home again."

"Hey that was one time! Not my fault he chose to nap in my closet. Now, I make sure he's in my bag before I go anywhere, don't want him freaking out again." Cari slightly frowned, remembering how she came back to her destroyed room and a freaked out bat. _'I only went out for an hour… I didn't think he was going to go on a rampage thinking I was kidnapped…even when Mama and Papa tried to explain that I was safe. Thankfully the damage was only done to my room and not the whole castle.'_ She softly opened her bag that was sitting on her lap to reveal a young bat curled up in his comfy red vest, sleeping soundly. Smiling, Cari slowly closed her bag again not wanting to disturb him.

"If only you studied harder then you could be at the top of your class with your magical capabilities."

"Your brother is right Cari. If you would only concentrate on your lessons more, than you could have a chance at valedictorian."

"Eww. That's so boring and annoying, I won't be able to do anything fun. I'll be restricted to the school's strict schedule, do speeches and always be so _stiff_. I rather have all the time in world to do what I want, when I want. Why would I want to be a valedictorian?" she finished with feign disgust

"To be a role model to your peers, get good recommendations to get into university, practice your princess duties…" Akira listed casually.

"Sounds like more reasons _not_ to do it, to me. Besides my enemies are math and physics. There is no amount of cramming or tutors that will get me the grades needed to be valedictorian from those classes, so why try? I'm lucky I can barely pass those subjects." Cari crossed her arms in victory knowing they couldn't deny that she most likely will never understand those subjects even if her life depended on them.

'Sigh' "Very well, in that I cannot disagree with. But Aiden, I am sure that _you_ will be able to reach top spot if you so desire. You have more intellectual talent than you're older sister after all."

"Hey! I resent that!" Akira just waved a wing to disregard Cari's tone, while the blond snickered.

"I will try my best!" Determination glowing in his eyes. She smiled confident he could do anything he wanted but was curious about one thing that could hold him back if he let it.

"Are you still going to hide your lineage from everyone?" His blue eyes focused on her. She wondered why he looked worried, did she ask something wrong?

He nodded "I don't want to be given special treatment just because our parents are rulers of Eraklyon or the Company of Light leaders. I want to prove myself using my own talents, I don't want to be _given_ a leadership position, I want to _earn_ it. Besides Mom did say we should try to make some real friends and I rather have friends that want to spend time with a 'nobody' than friends who expect political favoritism." Cari was so proud that she instinctively pulled him into a hug, remembering they were on a public bus she quickly started to ruffle his hair.

She felt his struggles and let him go "You are already starting to sound like a true leader, brat. Don't be afraid of winning or losing. Failing will help you discover your weaknesses, where you will improve to succeed next time. While winning will show your strengths to hone in order to become even better. Either way with that mindset, you will grow to become the leader that will attract a loyal and brave team." He tried to hide is blush at her unexpected praise. "I'm glad that you will have a chance to find real friends here. If no one knows you are the first prince of Eraklyon then no one will stand by you for the wrong reasons. Cherish the friends that will be the most loyal to _you_ , the simple stubborn Aiden." She said with a distant look.

He was always good at reading her no matter how hard she tried to hide her true feelings, so she wasn't too surprised at his question.

"Cari, do you hate that you weren't able to able to hide who you were?" A flash of sadness crossed her blue eyes.

"It couldn't be helped." She replied with a shrug. "My birth was _abnormal_ … in order for Eraklyon's council to accept me as their princess I had to prove to the whole magical dimension that I was by blood and power daughter of Bloom and Sky, in order to be given my right. I _couldn't_ hide who I was."

"That's not fair. We should be treated the same." he commented in anger.

She giggled before gently ruffling his hair. "It's not, but it's understandable. Unlike me, you weren't the result of a dark curse nor had a few hours alliance with an extremely powerful dark sorcerer bent on the universe's destruction. And there is the fact that you were born the normal way… everyone saw that Mama was pregnant and the announcement of your birth. While I, a five-year-old child at the time, just appeared out of thin air claiming to be Mama and Papa's biological daughter. I was an oddity that everyone was afraid of, but Mama and Papa were determined, they wanted me to have my right as their true daughter and first born. Though, as long as we were together as a family I could've cared less about the crown."

"You could've told Mom and Dad that you didn't want it. You could've been freer if you just stayed as the 'adopted daughter'." Aiden said looking a bit guilty.

"I could've, but certain… events… helped me finalize my decision to really fight for my right. Besides, everything worked out in the end. Sure the council was a bit unhappy and some people are still doubtful, but that won't stop me from being the Princess or future Queen they deserve." She said with a smile.

"Is that why you asked me if I wanted to be heir to the throne? Because no one really wanted you to be future Queen."

"In part" She shrugged "I didn't think I was cut out to be Queen at first, it looked like too much boring work and fake emotional masks. But when we both started to learn how to take over the throne, I saw that it was a lot more than just politics. Including thinking about your people's wellbeing before yourself, and since I love our people I always want to protect them and being Queen will be the best way to do it." Cari saw the doubt and silent question Aiden was thinking, he never did like those who thought badly of her. "Yes, I love _all_ our citizens even those who think I am unworthy. I just want our family and our people to be safe and happy. Besides I see that you will be happier being my general, instead of a king." Cari finished with a wink. He slightly shrugged avoiding eye contact with her.

"Sure I love our people and I want to protect them, but above all I mainly want to protect you and our parents. I don't think I will have what it takes to be a proper King." He said as he looked down guilty.

"And that's ok!" She smiled brightly at him, chasing his guilt away. "You love everyone in your own way; it's not a bad thing. It's hard and uncommon to truly put other's, especially total stranger's, happiness and safety before your own. If anything, it's bad that I love too much, but it's not surprising considering I was literally born from the love that Mama and Papa had for each other and everyone else. Besides I don't think I can put anyone in front of you or Mama and Papa, you three will always be the first I protect above all else." She finished with a giggle, making him smile brightly in return.

"I know you will be a strong Queen one day Cari. Especially with the way you train… you will become frighteningly strong like a body builder. Though, I do feel bad for your future king, I hope he will be able to match up to your monstrous strength or you might just break him on your wedding night." He snickered at his blushing sister.

"Hey! You little brat, I'm gonna-" She paused when the driver announced the arrival to Alfea and watched a couple of fairies who sat at the front get off.

"Why didn't you get off?" Aiden asked when the bus closed its doors and continued on its route.

"Why would I? My stop is Red Fountain." She replied casually, looking out the window.

"Are you going to ride the bus around just to drop me off?"

"Pshh no, of course not." He arched a brow in silent confusion, which grew more when she turned to give him a sly smile. "I'm going to _run_ back."

"What? Why? If anything fly back, won't you be late for the opening ceremony?"

She waved her hand in disinterest "I only had a light workout this morning and you know I don't like using magic when I don't have to. Besides when am I ever on time for anything? And after Freshman year, I always skip that boring ceremony anyway."

He could only gap in shock before turning to silently ask Akira for some help in reasoning with her. The bird just shrugged her wings, as if saying there was nothing she could do nor did she really care. He just shook his head in defeat, knowing his sister was too stubborn to try and argue with.

"O you have it on you right?" Cari asked suddenly shaking him from his thoughts.

He nodded as he pulled out the chain that was tucked under his shirt, attached was a light silver short blade pendant that had an elegant and fierce dark silver dragon wrapping up around the blade, its front claws clutching the hilt while it bared it's fangs in a smile yet slightly threatening manner. It wasn't a frightening pendant but it gave the vibe not to touch it carelessly.

"I always have it on me, don't worry." She nodded as she tilted her head to show her hair clip that was securely fastened to the base of her side ponytail.

"As I always do." He smiled as looked upon the clip.

A black short blade, with a silver dragon circling it, its body making a heart shaped around the blade, its tail wrapped protectively around the blade with its front claws clutching the hilt, its head resting on the tip of the hilt, fangs bared. It was an elegant clip yet boyish, if worn by anyone else they would think the wearer had some odd, possibly even dark tastes, but with Cari being known as a dragon flame guardian it was no surprise.

"Don't forget whenever you are in deep trouble and you need me just-"

"I know, I know." Aiden cut her off "I just have to picture you beside me, the pendants will react and you will appear." Cari rolled her eyes at his know-it-all tone "Don't worry I remember, and I will call if I need you… you will do the same right?" She nodded "Nor will you be late to help me?"

She scrunched up her nose in a teasing manner "I will _never_ be late to save your butt."

They looked out the window when the bus driver announced the Red Fountain stop. "Now let's get off this bus, Mr. stranger I just met." She giggled and winked as they both got off and walked over to the 'Freshman Arrival' table.

Cari beamed when she saw the physical training instructor handing out the freshman packets at the table.

"Hello Professor Riven!" The short magenta spiked hair man turned and smiled at the young fairy who called out to him.

"Well, look who it is! Little Cari. What are you doing here? Missed the stop to Alfea again?" he teased the smiling girl who was now leaning on the table he was seated at.

"Sure did! And-" "What is a little Alfea fairy doing here? Don't you know that this school is to train warriors to hone their physical skills, _not_ fly around in pretty little dresses." Cari turned and saw a cocky looking freshman, standing a few feet away, sneered, looking at her up and down closely. "Now that I got a good look at you… I didn't realize I was addressing a Cloud Tower witch." His friends behind him grumbled their agreement as they too recognized who she was.

"Now, now listen here-" "It's ok Professor." Cari stopped him with a wink which he just smirked back with a warning glare. She slightly nodded before turning back to the tall dark blue haired boy and regarded him carefully.

"Hmm… I take it you're a freshman right? You're not very skilled are you." she started taking a few steps away from the table, she had a feeling that he had a temper and didn't want him to break the table.

"So what if I am? I can still beat you _and_ your magic in a fight."

"I won't need magic to fight you. I can tell that you are nowhere near my level of skill. Your stance is weak, your current sword easily breakable, you have left yourself wide open to attack." Cari shrugged and sighed in disappointment. "I was hoping for some fresh talent this year, looks like you have your work cut out for you Riven." She commented as she glanced back.

Before Riven could respond the freshman drew his sword and charged. "I'll show you who is open for attack!" with his full weight he swung his sword down at Cari.

In the blink of an eye she vanished, leaving him to dig his sword down into the dirt before him, freezing in shock.

He jumped slightly when he felt a brush of hair tickle his neck and a whisper tease his right ear. "Shouldn't you always keep your eye on your opponent, young general's son?" She gracefully back flipped away from him as he swung his sword around.

"I thought you didn't _need_ your magic…" Carefully looking at her, he was shocked to see she hadn't transformed.

"I didn't use magic… I used my _legs_ …" She casually remarked as she placed her hands on her hips, tapping her foot and rolling her eyes.

Anger and frustration built as he saw that everyone in the yard stopped to stare at them. When she arched an eyebrow at him, he growled his anger and charged swinging his sword down again, he smirked when she took a slight step back. ' _Going to transform now aren't you, cocky witch!'_

Cari slowly raised her hands slightly above her head, towards the blade that was coming towards her.

The dark blue haired boy smiled triumphantly as he felt his blade make contact, expecting a barrier. His smile dropped when all he saw was Cari holding his blade in between her bare hands, her blue eyes staring at him with the most bored expression he has ever seen directed at him.

When she saw that he was too shocked to do anything she sighed before pushing the blade higher above her as she twisted her hips and swiftly kicked the blade where she saw the crack in it earlier.

He stumbled back, eyes shut, at the shock he felt vibrating through the hilt. He opened his eyes once he steadied himself and gasped when he saw his blade broken in half, glancing up he saw Cari throwing the broken tip away before charging towards him at an alarming speed, raising her fist towards him.

Cari had every desire to give him the black eye he deserved for insulting her, but when she was a mere inch away from hitting his pretty little face she stopped when she heard Riven clear his throat. Sighing, she crossed her arms as the boy's legs gave out and fell hard on his tush.

She turned to the magenta-haired professor waiting for a scolding of some sort.

"I told you Cari that I don't like to be called 'professor'. I'm not _that_ old yet." He said as he pretended the little skirmish never happened.

Cari smiled as she skipped back to the table. "But you _are_ a professor and _older_ than your students." She teased.

"I better be older. It wouldn't make sense if I was an inexperienced freshman and instructing them." He said as he shook his head, making the girl giggle while everyone just gaped at the scene before them.

Aiden took that moment to step forward. "Hello Professor Riven. I would like to check in now."

Cari beamed at her brother and began to bounce excitedly before addressing Riven again "Can you believe that I made my first freshman friend on the bus ride here! I have a feeling that he is going to be a great sparring partner if he joins your advance training club." She said with a wink.

Riven nodded with mischievous eyes and gave him his freshman packet and a flyer for his club's try-outs. "Fresh blood is always welcomed to join. And if you're _lucky,_ you can spar with this little lady one day." He added with a smirk.

"I will consider it, thank you." Smiling casually he turned to Cari before adding "It was great to meet you, Ms. Cari. If you will excuse me I don't want to be late for the opening ceremony." He finished before walking away.

"Ok! Hope you make the tryouts!" She called out to him as he walked into the main building.

"You better get moving too or you will miss your first class." Riven said as he gave out another Freshman packet.

"Aww you know me so well, _professor_ , knowing I won't make it at all to the opening ceremony." She said batting her eyes, feigning innocence.

Rolling his eyes he replied "I would hope so, I _have_ been training you for as long as you've been alive." Cari giggled as she waved goodbye and headed towards the forest. She stopped when someone rudely called out to her, trying hard not to groan she waited to hear what he had to say.

"H-hey witch! I want a rematch! I know you cheated!" The dark blue haired boy yelled to her. Sighing she turned and gave him the sweetest smile she could muster. She saw he was still gripping his broken sword in his hand and trying to look superior with his tense stance.

"Apologizes Sir Warner, but as you heard I must be on my way." Her smile dimmed slightly when she saw the triumphant look growing in the boy's eyes. He opened his mouth to comment, but Cari predicted what he wanted to say _'You think you will bait me in claiming I am running away, think again…'_

Her blue eyes hardened in disinterest and boredom while keeping her sweet smile, startling him into silence with the change in her eyes. "Besides I only accept challenges for those _worthy_ enough to get into Professor Riven's club. If you get in, then I _might_ think about accepting your challenge. But if I do… I won't hold back."

Not giving him a chance to respond, she turned and jumped high into the closest tree. She waved to Riven before leaping away.

Riven shook his head as his no longer small student disappeared into the forest. _'She is going to regret that…'_

He was startled out of his train of thought when all the Specialists that were watching suddenly crowed his table, yelling questions.

"Professor who was that?!" "What was she doing here?!" "Does she go to Alfea?" "How did she break the sword?!" "Can I try out for your club?!" "When are tryouts?"

' _Ugh… If she doesn't regret this on her own I will make sure she will…'_ Riven thought in frustration.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Ha! I told you I would make it on time Akira! With plenty time to spare!" Cari told the bird as she gracefully landed and walked over to the main gates of Alfea. It always amazed her how welcoming and refreshing Alfea felt, like a second home.

"You would've arrived sooner if you didn't stop to gaze across the lake to Cloud Tower's forest… again. You know the probability of seeing him again is extremely slim, if at all." Akira tweeted as they passed the gates into the large courtyard.

"Just because it was 8 years ago doesn't mean we won't meet again. We made a promise, and I believe we will cross paths eventually." She responded confidently

"I still don't understand why it matters to you so much… unless you finally understand the importance of your pendant that you _carelessly_ gave him, seeing him again would entail its return." The purple bird considered hopefully.

"O yea… the pendant… it can help focus my powers better and stuff…" she awkwardly giggled when Akira glared at her. "What? I have been without it for so long it just slipped my mind. Besides I've managed just fine without it so far… no major power fluctuations, major explosions, or fatal injuries… I'll be fine…"

"The fact that you are still able to freely walk around without heavy seals amazes me… just because you've had, as you consider, 'minor' incidents is not something to gloat about… they could have easily became major or even fatal at any given moment if it hadn't been for your mother or Glaedr. You should've gone looking for that boy like I told you and asked for the pendent back years ago." Akira remarked harshly

"Psh, you know we tried looking for his clan, but the ones we found either didn't know whom we were talking about or was completely destroyed. There was nothing I could do, but wait." Cari sighed sadly.

"He might've perished and was simply buried with your pendant, that last town we visited was attacked not too long before we found it. But you still refused to even consider that possibility."

She just shrugged "Mama and Papa told me to leave the investigation of that town to them; I'm not very good at those kinds of things anyway. Besides, I just have a feeling that he is still alive, somewhere. It's weird… even though I don't have the pendant with me I still have a kind of connection to it, and it's telling me that they are safe… together." The young fairy said with a warm smile.

"That is still concerning if he _is_ still alive then he should've heard about you by now. He should've stepped forward and reached out to you, especially if he had nowhere to go. He would've known that saving a princess would have given him sanctuary by her kingdom… Unless he found the secret of that pendent and is looking for a way to use it against you." Akira began to fidget restlessly in her panic

Cari couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You worry too much Akira, he's not planning to use the pendant against me." She said as though she was speaking to a child. "I'm sure he has a good reason for not reaching out. Anyway, I have control of my powers now and if worse comes to worse I have Aiden close by to help me. Besides I'm sure my pendant is helping him _more_ than it would've helped me. And not to mention that being without it has pushed me to become stronger on my own instead of using it as a handicap. If I had kept it you know I would've relied on it too much, and if I ever lost it, especially during a fight, then _that_ would've been a 'major incident'. This way even if I do get it back it won't matter much, I can control my powers fine." Cari said matter-of-factly as she continued to walk towards her assigned apartment, as Akira glared at her, frustrated that everything wasn't entirely wrong.

"But it is not _complete_ control. Isn't _that_ the reason why you don't like using magic so much? The reason why you insist on strengthening your body, to be able to take more physical damage so as not to go on a rampage if pushed too far in battle? Sure your mental strengths are unparalleled and you have excellent focus, but your powers are still linked to your emotions and if they reach a certain level that pendant would be the only thing that could keep you from hurting those around you. Attempting to control them in a crazed state would be equivalent to embracing an enraged cobra. Simply impossible and doomed to be fatal once bitten." Akira stated humorlessly "Sigh… I worry about you, Cari. Each time you reach a higher level and a seal is released the struggle to control your power grows. That pendant would've regulated the released power gradually, allowing you to control it at your own pace, like any other fairy. But without it, you are forced to control it all at once. What will happen when it proves too much for you…?" Cari paused right before her apartment. She took a deep breath before answering her partner softly.

" _That's_ why I push both my body and mind so I can withstand anything that comes at me, so I can protect the ones I love without having to _fully_ rely on my powers. It's not like I have ignored my magic completely. I have kept up my training with Alfea and with Glaedr, I even use it while jumping and landing off the tall trees every day. I'll be fine Akira as long as the two of us are honest with each other and I keep up with my training, our bond will stand against any obstacle that finds us. Together there is nothing we can't overcome." Cari smiled brightly as she pet Akira on the head before turning to open the door to her apartment, missing the pained and almost guilty expression her partner had.

Once inside Cari saw her two best friends had already arrived.

Rosie was humming a soft tune as she danced around the apartment either watering her plants or arranging the flowers she brought with her. Her long light brown hair was tied into a low loose ponytail that flowed down to her lower back, with long layered bangs framing her face. She wore a mint dress with lace along the hem of the skirt, and a sash that tied around her petite waist showing off her curves. On top, she wore a light beige open front cardigan that reached a little past her skirt and her high heeled wedges showed off her legs.

On the other side of the room stood Talea. She was making sure the entertainment system was all set up and the movies arranged from _her_ favorite to least favorite. She wore dark blue skinny jeans with strips of leather along the sides, a long deep sky blue shirt that fell down to her mid-hips, a black tuxedo vest that hugged her waist tight, with over-the-knee black high heeled boots. Her blue hair, cut shoulder length, styled to be longer in the front and short in the back framed her slightly tanned face.

Happy to see her friends already fixing up the place, she quickly ran over to greet them.

"Hey Lea! Hey Rosie!" They immediately ran over to embrace the red head.

"Hey Cari!" "Hey girl!" Smiling brightly Cari sighed happily in their group hug. She had missed them greatly.

"How was your summer vacation?" Cari asked as she stepped back to gently put her backpack on the couch.

"It was awesome! I got to travel all over the place with Musa during her tour! Even got to open for a couple of her concerts!" Talea said excitedly as she shared some pictures with her friends.

"What about you Rosie? Did you end up just staying on Domino with your mom again?"

"For a bit but I was accepted to take some special lessons at Lymphia College. 'The growth and nurturing of hybrid plants' and 'Nature's medicinal properties'. I managed to perfect my hybrid roses based on what I learned there." She motioned to the sunny corner of the room where her favorite flame-colored roses sat proudly giving off a calming and alluring sent.

"Wow they look more beautiful than before!" The brunette smiled proudly at her creation.

"They no longer need so much water to sustain them, just direct sunlight and constant love, and when they are picked they can last weeks without water and will grow a new bush when the stem is replanted. Making them very easy to care for." Rosie beamed as she reached out and gently cupped a rose in her hand.

"Sounds so easy! I bet even Cari can't fail." Talea teased.

"Hey! It's not my fault that normal potted flowers hate me." The girl grumbled "And I bet it wasn't even my fault they withered, I followed the instructions Rosie gave me exactly. They should've been fine." She crossed her arms in embarrassment and frustration.

"Good thing Rosie came back to save them in time." The short haired girl said with a wink at the brunette.

The red head looked over when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. "It's ok Cari. Not everyone has a green thumb. And these roses are nearly impossible to wither. You will be able to watch over these with no problem." Rosie said softly with a gentle smile.

"Yea, ONLY these. Don't touch any of the others." Talea teased which only got her a glare from the dragon fairy. Before Cari could shoot back a response they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

When given permission, the door opened to reveal a stern looking woman with glasses and a clipboard. "There you are Ms. Cari. Your presence is being requested at the headmistress' office."

"Yes, Ms. Griselda." The door closed after a nod was given.

"What did you do now, Cari?" Lea curiously asked

"Nothing…much…" She crossed her arms in playful frustration that her friend would automatically assume she did something wrong.

"I'm sure it is just to give you your class schedule since you missed the opening ceremony… again." Rosie said with a supportive smile.

"Yea right." Lea rolled her eyes playfully, before smirking at Cari "So, what was this 'nothing much' that you did, huh? And why wasn't _I_ a part of it?"

"She picked a fight with a Red Fountain freshman this morning." Akira stated casually as Cari rubbed the back of her head in slight embarrassment trying to avoid the gaping stares of her friends.

"In my defense, _he_ started it. All I did was move out of his sword's way the first time he swung it, then kinda… broke it the second time…. But Riven stopped me before I gave him a black eye… so no harm done, and it was all in self-defense… technically…?" She startled when Talea burst out laughing.

"That's awesome, girl!" She gasped when her laughter calmed down. "I bet he thought you used your magic too. What did he say afterwards?" her Amber eyes lighting up with mirth.

"Just that he wanted a rematch because 'I had to have used magic to cheat'." Cari said with air quotes. "But I told him I only accept challenges from those talented enough to get into Riven's club…" That made her friend laugh again and even had Rosie giggling softly.

"I pity your fighting instructor now." Cari arched an eyebrow at Rosie, in a silent question.

"Why? I didn't punch the brat, just broke his already damaged sword. He obviously didn't know how to take care of it; it was going to break sooner or later anyway. Better I did now instead of during a real fight."

Rosie just shook her head, while Lea held her sides as she tried to breathe. "Red Fountain students pride themselves in fighting against the strongest opponent they can find, as well as being better combat fighters than fairies." The brunette started "You demonstrated that a _fairy_ didn't _need_ magic to win in a hand to hand fight. And with your claim that you only fight those in Riven's club… well, let's just say his tryouts are going to be a bit _hectic_ this year…" Rosie finished hoping the professor will survive.

"A _bit_?! I bet he's going to have the whole school begging to be in his club! Especially that untrained freshie." Talea gasped out

"He wasn't _that_ untrained…" her friends gave her a questioning look "He was…kinda… General Cedric's son…" she told them with a slight blush on her cheeks.

" _The_ General Cedric? The one who's military force is feared and respected by most of the Magical Dimension? You beat _his_ son without batting an eye?" Cari could only nod at Lea's question. Her friends looked at each other and shook their heads "Yup, Riven is done for. I hope they will be able to find his remains."

"Indeed. Hopefully, he won't be too proud to call upon his teammates or his wife to assist him." Rosie added mirth dancing in her eyes.

"Psh. I'm sure he'll be fine guys. And on the bright side, I might have more of a challenge when I go spar." Cari shrugged trying not to feel bad for her fighting instructor.

"Sure but he will have less time to teach you since he will be busier with the new recruits." Lea smirked when she saw blue eyes widen in horror.

"No… he will always find time to train me!"

"I wouldn't count on it. You know he prides himself on his club being the best, he won't pay you any mind if half of them are weak little warriors. He needs to defend Red Fountain's title as champions after all."

"What have I done? How can I take it back?" Cari placed her hands on her cheeks in panic, but soon her expression changed when an idea formed "If I crush them all in sparring matches then they will _want_ to quit… only the strongest will stay… then Riven will have only decent warriors and more time to train me… more challenges for me to face… and…" Cari began to rant.

"Ok… that's enough. Lea, stop freaking her out. Cari, Riven will always find time to train you even if he is busy with his club. You are his favorite student after all, right? You won't need force anyone to quit, but you might need to help Riven train them."

Cari gave Rosie a disgusted look "I don't want to train anyone. It's annoying and it won't help me get stronger."

"But teaching will show you different ways to train and maybe even new skills to learn. Everyone is different and everyone has different talents. Training them will expose you to find new fighting styles that weren't available to you before. Unless you really don't like trying new challenges or moves." Rosie finished with a knowing smirk, laughter sparked in her eyes when she saw Cari take the bait.

"I will teach the brats! I will learn their techniques! I will get stronger!" She proclaimed, ignoring the snickers coming from her friends.

"And you will be late… the headmistress is still waiting for you…" Akira tweeted. Cari gasped as she ran out the apartment, yelling her goodbyes over her shoulder.

"Well, that's our Cari." Lea said fondly "Never one to back out of a challenge, never one to be on time, never boring." Rosie nodded, both smiling brightly as they continued to arrange their apartment.

* * *

"You wanted to see me Headmistresses Faragonda?" Cari asked when she entered the office, panting slightly from her run.

"Yes, something has come to my attention that we needed to discuss." The headmistress started as she motioned for the student to sit. Panicking that she was going to get in trouble for the fight, she tried to sit still but kept bouncing her knee and the adrenaline from her sprint started to course faster through her veins as she waited for the headmistress to speak. "Red Fountain has informed me that…"

"It wasn't my fault!" Faragonda startled at the sudden outburst. "He started it! I was only defending myself, and he should've taken better care of his sword, not my fault that it was so easy to break. And I didn't touch him, I stopped right before my fist hit his face, and…" Cari stopped when the headmistress raised her hand for silence.

"Red fountain has informed me that your younger brother has checked in and is so far settling well. They know how protective you can get, they thought you would want to know he is in good hands." Cari smiled sheepishly as a slight blush rose on her face.

"Umm… thank you. That does make me feel at ease." She calmly sat down, with a smile.

"Now about this fight…"

"What fight?" Cari batted her lashes in innocence.

"I will overlook it this time, and hope the only fights you participate in are regulated sparring matches." Cari nodded in agreement internally sighing in relief.

"As for Aiden, as your parents indicated, it will be kept secret that he is your brother and the Eraklyon prince until he is ready to reveal himself. As such I assume that you have come up with a story that will allow you to be friendly to one another?" Faragonda asked.

"Yes, we became 'friends' on the bus ride to Red Fountain this morning and he plans to try out for Riven's Advance Combat Sports Club, where we will become closer while training together. Our 'friendship' will only grow from there, hopefully, no one will connect that he looks just like Papa." Cari answered in confidence.

"Good. Now since you missed the Opening Ceremony again this year…" Faragonda ignored the feign guilt in the student's eyes. "…here is your class schedule for the year. And do remember that this year all third-year fairies will have a chance to earn their Enchantix, which will allow you to be a guardian fairy on your home planet, giving you new powers and responsibilities." Cari nodded excitedly.

She quickly read through her class schedule and remembered another important topic she had to share.

"O I almost forgot… in case of an emergency, Aiden and I have these charms that will allow us to instantly teleport to wherever the other is. So if an orange portal appears and I jump in without hesitation it's most likely because Aiden is in trouble." Cari said as she turned her head to show the headmistress her hair clip. The headmistress nodded in acknowledgment.

"Thank you for informing me and I will inform those who will need to know. Now I do believe you will be late for your first class if you do not hurry." Cari pulled out her phone to look at the time then to her schedule, immediately she picked up her bag and ran out the door after quick thank you and goodbye.

"Do you think it wise to give her a chance to get Enchantix? I still believe it to be better to wait another year…" Akira voiced her concern as she landed on the headmistress' desk.

"I know your concerns Akira, but she is a strong fairy she will be able to find the control needed. Although I thought that you of all people would have more faith in your guardian." The headmistress said casually

"I do have faith in _her_ … I just don't have faith in the power scratching to break free from its seal within her. If we are not careful then a great danger will be released."

"Have you told her?" They locked eyes for a moment before the bird spread her wings.

"If you will excuse me, I must return to my partner's side." Faragonda watched as the purple bird flew out the open door.

"I hope young Cari will be understanding of your decision when the time comes."

* * *

"Professor Riven!" Cari called out, in her shorts and loose shirt, hands, and ankles already in wraps, as she bounced out of the trees to Red Fountain's open training field.

She was shocked to see so many specialists were there stretching. "Umm… what's going on? Are you still having tryouts? Don't you normally finish in a week?" She asked when she reached her trainer's side.

"Well, _normally_ I don't have this many students trying out, but a certain fairy pretty much challenged the whole school… resulting in _this_." The magenta haired trainer waved his arm indicating to the 40 students before them. The fairy just looked at the large gathering and rubbed the back of her neck in slight embarrassment.

"Umm… I didn't think this many would want to join… I just wanted that brat to back off… I'll just come by next week then." She told him sheepishly as she started to turn back to the trees, but was stopped when a large hand rested firmly on her shoulder. Looking up she saw Riven shaking his head with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Nope, since we couldn't complete tryouts last week, you are going to help me this week."

"You know I'm not good at teaching or observing such a large group of people." She responded as she crossed her arms. He shook his head.

"Not as an instructor… but as a trainee."

"You want me to _tryout_? Why would I do that? How will that be helping?"

"It will help me feel better." He said with a sly smile.

She narrowed her eyes "No, I'll come back next week." She took a few steps away from him.

"If you don't then I won't let you train with anyone from my Club." Her eyes widened, turning around she locked eyes with him.

"You _wouldn't_ …"

"I _will_. No more training, no more challenges, no more sparring, no more equipment, no more Riven…" She saw he was completely serious about his threat. "And before you think that you can sneak in or what not… remember that I have a secret weapon on my side." His smug grin annoyed the fairy to no end.

Not needing to look at the group of Specialists she knew that he was talking about Aiden. And she knew her darling brother would tag team with the magenta haired professor just to tease her.

Throwing her arms up in defeat. "Fine! All I have to do is go through the tryouts right?"

"Yup." The way he popped the 'p' at the end made her want to rethink her decision. Did she really need to spar with them? … yea she kinda did…

"Fine that should be easy enough." She said with a smirk

"O I wouldn't count on that…" Cari arched a brow. "I'm going to make you suffer… you will be so sore you won't be able to monkey your way back to Alfea. You will know my pain. Now hurry up and jump in line." Cari's blue eyes narrowed slightly and regretted not listening to Lea's warning to stay away from Red Fountain for another week. She reluctantly went to stand at the back of the formation, only glancing at her brother who smiled wickedly at her. ' _Ooo he knew this was going to happen and he didn't warn me! I am sooo going to get him back!'_

"Now since we have never had this many students wanting a spot in our Advanced Combat Sports club (ACS) we will have to continue tryouts this week." Riven started to explain "Be warned it will be much harder than last week was. But be comforted that all of you will have a chance to train in this club this year. This week will determine who will begin their training this first semester and who will have to wait for the second semester. There will only be a select few who will be in the club year round and participate in competitions. Keep in mind, that can change depending on the individuals. Now is there anyone who would like to be excused from trying out?"

Cari started to raise her hand in hopes to escape.

"Anyone who isn't a fairy?" She huffed in frustration as she crossed her arms.

She turned to glare at the back of her brother's head when she heard his soft muffled laugh.

"No one? Good. Now we will begin with Level 4 Gorilla Drills, slow and steady then we will work our way up to level 1 by the end of the week." He ignored Cari's groans of protest as he held out his whistle and blew it after he yelled: "BEGIN!"

* * *

"Cari what's wrong? They are serving your favorite and you haven't touched a bite of your food." Rosie asked concerned about her friend who just rested her head on the table groaning responses, even though they were having lunch outside enjoying the beautiful day.

"Apologizes," Akira began. "Cari went to Red Fountain this morning to train with Riven's ACS, only to find tryouts were not yet completed. Riven had decided that since there were only about 20 spots available and those left were quite skilled, he had to divide the 40 who came to apply. One group will train the first semester, and the rest in the second, while the best will stay year round. As punishment for her rash announcement, Riven decided that Cari participates in this week's tryouts." Her friends looked at each other still a bit confused.

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad. You have been training with Riven all your life, his tryouts shouldn't be too hard for you by now. So what's the problem?" Lea asked as she bit her apple.

Cari only groaned more while Akira raised her wing over her beak to muffle her giggles. "They are doing all four levels of Gorilla Drills this week." Shocked, her friends gaped, speechless.

Cari quickly rose her hand and pointed a finger at her blue haired friend who took a breath to say something. "Not. A. Word…" she threatened, head still on the table. Her arm flinched and fell to the table when her sore muscles screamed at the sudden movement. Making Lea laugh.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad. You made it back after all, right?" Rosie asked with a smile

"ughhh… not really. I barely made it half way before my legs gave out. Glyde had to transform and carry me the rest of the way back."

"O I would've loved to see that! I haven't seen Glyde's transformation yet!" Lea said with a glance to Cari's bag.

The red head slightly turned her head to glare and snap at her short haired friend, but stopped when she noticed a certain black haired girl stalk over to their table.

"Well, if it isn't Calida Cari." the girl said with disgust, making Cari groan in annoyance as she turned to rest her forehead on the table again. "I was hoping that you were finally expelled from Alfea."

"Sigh… and why would she be expelled, Mimi?" Lea asked exasperated.

"Because her presence here is only tainting the pure, good magic that we _pure_ royal fairies have." Mimi responded to Lea before turning her focus solely on Cari again. "And judging from your _background_ , all you do here is suck up our pure magic bit by bit, and I wouldn't put it past you to be cursing those who are better than you. So of course, it would stand to reason that Faragonda should send you packing." She stated with a matter-of-fact smug look on her face.

Everyone either seated or walking close by, turned to stare at the confrontation. During the past three years, Mimi was known to target Cari to her cruel words. Sure the dark haired girl always came across as the innocent party to the teachers when things got out of hand, but everyone knew that she was the worst bully on campus and hoped that one day Headmistress Griffin would take her to Cloud Tower. Normally when she went after Cari she would be ignored or chased off by her friends, but what caused everyone to stare was they all knew that if you pushed Cari far enough, especially when she was tired or in a bad mood, she will snap making her do something drastic that sometimes resulted in a visit to the Headmistress' Office. Of course, Mimi knew this and took every chance to push Cari enough that she would cause her own expulsion.

"Should _you_ really be judging others based on their history?" Rosie asked with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes.

' _Scoff'_ "I have no idea what you mean; everyone knows I have an amazing pedigree." Mimi glared at the two girls, daring them to say anything else.

"Yea, an amazing pedigree of traitors and criminals. Unless you are referring to your poodle's pedigree then, yea your dog is a nice _pure_ -breed." Lea said sarcastically as she finished her apple, then flicked it towards the bully barely missing her to land in the trash can a few feet behind her.

' _Gasp'_ "How dare you treat me as such! The headmistress will hear about this! And my ancestors were not traitors or criminals. And my father is the highly respected and honorable King of Isis!" The girl screeched, her friends voicing their agreement.

"Sure, sure, but your _mother_ is another story. Isn't she only 'Queen' in name with no right or influence to anything. I'm surprised she didn't lose her title after she allied herself with the Trix to destroy Cari's mother." Lea said returning the glare the bully was giving her.

"Though, she was imprisoned for her traitorous actions for a good period of time. Her arranged marriage to your father and King Sky's mercy was quite a lucky break for her." Rosie said in an overly sweet tone.

' _Scoff'_ "Yea, lucky she was the sole heir to the throne of Isis and had a large inheritance that came with her to be wanted by _anyone_." Lea added while taking a sip of water, ignoring the reddening fairy beside them.

"You two shouldn't be talking all high and mighty! At least I _have_ a title and a future. I don't _need_ to be a full time fairy to have a secure life after graduation, I will forever live comfortably and marry a prince. While you two _need_ to have careers as guardian fairies to be slightly happy or respected, if not you will be stuck like your worthless parents!" She exclaimed as she stabbed a manicured fingernail at Rosie "Poor servants toiling the royal gardens working from dawn to dusk always covered in dirt and bugs, not a penny to your name!" She then slightly turned to point at Lea before continuing "Or to be abandoned without a second thought, unwanted by anyone. And with the appearance and personality of a boy, you can never even hope to find a husband that will see you more than a mistress! Both of you don't belong here. Alfea is a prestigious school that educates _Princesses_ to be future Queens, not servants!" She began to smile triumphantly when she saw hurt and anger burning in the two fairy's eyes.

Excited that she was thoroughly humiliating them, she chose to make sure she destroyed their confidence with her next words. "Everyone knows the _only_ reason Rosie got accepted was because she knows the royal family of Domino and Eraklyon! The thought of someone like _you_ getting in based on your ' _skills'_ is laughable. While Talea is just Alfea's charity case, to look good in the media! Can you imagine the positive publicity if you manage to graduate? 'Homeless fairy graduates! Alfea's curriculum and service to the community knows no bounds!'" Mimi and her friends laughed heartily at the completion of her rant, but they quickly quieted and paled when they suddenly felt a chilling power surge.

They all turned to see Cari slowly raising her head, an intense aura surrounding her. They all flinched when her eyes locked with Mimi. Cold raging fire burning in her blue eyes, a tint of purple creeping along the edges. Everyone froze when she effortlessly stood to stand right before the dark haired fairy.

"I used up so much energy this morning; I drained more magic than I intended. I didn't think I would need a feeding so soon, but I just can't hold myself back anymore." Cari said with heated, hungry eyes, as she rested an arm on Mimi's shoulder.

"W-what are you t-talking about-t?" Mimi asked trying her hardest to hide the fear growing in her.

"As you said, I suck up the magic around me to live, but no one feels it when I do. I take little by little, unnoticeable and untraceable. But I'm so hungry now I can't help but want a large helping at once." She leaned in closer to where she was just an inch away from Mimi. "Your magic smells delicious enough to satisfy me." Cari took a finger and slightly lifted Mimi's chin. She expected the dark haired girl to retort in some way or push her away but only saw confusion and fear staring back. "Nothing to say? Well, then… I'll take that as consent… thank you for the meal…" Cari grinned widely, exposing her teeth. The dark hair fairy gasped, eyes widening in shock and panic when she saw fangs in Cari's smile.

Mimi had never known fear like she was experiencing in that moment. Cari's intense magical aura sending chills down her spine, with the close detached and hungry look in Cari's eyes and voice, on top of the fangs froze her body and mind, confused on how to react. _'Why isn't anyone doing something? Do they want me to be eaten by this cursed witch?'_ Watching the red head lick the sharp fangs, then begin opening her mouth as she leaned closer towards her neck, made her fear grow to a new level. So much so that the rush of adrenaline melted her body enough to finally react.

When Mimi suddenly let out a high pitched scream it shocked everyone from their frozen trance. They blinked to see Mimi run, as though on fire, back into the safety of the school. Slowly they turned back to Cari. Her glowing aura had disappeared and eyes were back to their normal blues, though the fangs were still obviously visible, as she laughed hysterically.

Once she calmed down enough she turned to her friends with a bright smile. "Now you guys can't say I'm a bad actor!" They gapped as she pulled out the false teeth from her mouth, to reveal her normal teeth no fangs in sight.

"WHAT?!" Cari jumped when everyone who witnessed yelled in unison as soon as she held the fake fanged teeth in her hand.

"Cari… what are those?" Lea asked pointing to the teeth in her friend's hand.

"O I got these when I went to visit Earth over the summer. Roxy and Selina told me Earth's scary stories about werewolves, Frankenstein, and vampires. They were so interesting I thought I could dress up as a vampire or werewolf for Halloween this year, so I bought these to make the costume complete. Didn't think I would be using them so soon, glad I got them when I did." Cari smirked as wiped the teeth clean before placing them back in her bag.

Looking around she wondered why all the girls around them were still staring at her with shocked gaping faces. "Did you guys really think I had real fangs? Come on…" Cari sighed as she rolled her eyes. "I'm _not_ a bloodsucking monster, just a friendly and weird fairy." She smiled with a shrug.

At that comment, Lea began to laugh, which in turn broke the tension in the air. "Cant' deny that! And I've never seen Mimi that scared before; I bet she almost fainted. I can't believe you did that! Why didn't you do that earlier, when she started talking to you?"

Cari shrugged "I'm used to people's cruel words to me; it just doesn't bother me anymore. But I couldn't let her talk to _you two_ like that. No way am I just going to sit around while she hurts my best friends, of course I'll jump in to protect you." She said as she took a bite of her lunch.

Rosie and Lea looked at each other with smiles.

"Just how we will always be there to protect you." Rosie sincerely said

"Yup! The three weird fairies of Alfea, friends forever!" Lea said with a wink.

The three laughed until a second year walked to their table, a stack of papers in her arms. "Excuse me. I'm going around telling everyone about the ball next month and looking for possible volunteers for the decoration's committee." She gave them each a paper before moving on to the next table.

The three read the paper and grew excited. "Awesome this year it's a masquerade party! And the Red Fountain Specialists are invited!" Lea beamed

"O how exciting!" Rosie added

"There's only one problem…" they looked to Cari, silently questioning her serious tone. "Will we have enough time to go find the perfect dress?!" The red head said, imitating Mimi's voice in fake horror. Which made them laugh all the more as they walked to their next class.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Rosie, can you help me with my make-up?" Cari asked while poking her head into their shared bathroom.

"Sure I just need to finish with Lea's hair." The brunette responded as she neatly pinned back the left side of Lea's hair and securing it with a delicate musical note clip.

"Thanks Rosie. I was about to give up on my hair. Now I'm ready to dance the night away." The blue haired fairy said as she admired herself in the mirror. She wore a blue fitted v-cut dress that draped loosely off her waist, the front skirt reached her mid-thighs, while the back reached her calves. The top had black floral lace that cut off at her shoulders and gave you just a shadow glance of her cleavage, silver thread danced along the hem of the dress, with a matching silver and black lace sash tied into a bow on the side of her waist, with blue and black floral heels to match and make the tall fairy look even taller. She wore silver eye shadow to make her amber eyes pop for when she wore her black mask, topped off with bright red lipstick. She looked like she could walk down a runway the way she presented herself.

"You're welcome, Lea. It was nothing; we all need to look our best tonight. You never know, you might find a boyfriend tonight." Rosie teased as she reached up and adjusted Lea's mask, who just rolled her eyes at her comment before glancing over to the red haired fairy.

"Looking good, Cari. I think you have more of a chance to score tonight than me." The tall fairy commented with a wink. Making the red head blush.

"I still don't think this dress suites me very well guys…" she said shyly as she self-consciously rubbed an arm.

She wore a dark red, off the shoulder, long flowing dress with a mid-high slit on the right side. But what made Cari so self-conscious was the fact that the dress exposed most of her back, and had a circular cut on the left side of her waist. She wasn't used showing off this much skin…at least not outside a sparring match. She wore dangling earrings with a matching necklace that she borrowed from Lea to give her a slightly edgy look, her hair loose and in soft curls, with a small portion pinned back with her dragon clip. She even used the spell they learned as first years to hide her purple highlights, just showing a slightly darker shade of her red hair.

"What are you talking about, girl? You look amazing! You will be the envy of all tonight!" Cari could only blush more at Lea's words.

"I highly doubt that. If anything I think all eyes will be on you two… the elegant tall model and the regal nature goddess." Cari said as she motioned to each friend accordingly.

Lea gave a most un-lady like snort "Yea right, ' _elegant tall model_ '… as if."

"You could if you tried." Cari encouraged which Lea only rolled her eyes at.

" _If_ I ever get into modeling because of my height I will buy you _all_ the ice cream you can devour from your favorite parlor with my first modeling paycheck, on a day of your choosing." Lea said sarcastically. And grew slightly worried at the evil smirk Cari gave her, but shrugged it off knowing it was in impossibility. And choose to change topics instead. "But I do agree with Rosie being a regal goddess." As they both turned to admire the brunette's dress.

She wore a light pink fitted halter top dress that fell to the floor, a mid thigh high slit along her right leg. Thin sliver chiffon curtained over the skirt to give the dress a soft glittering look. Her hair styled in soft waves and pulled back in a half pony tail. Light pink eye shadow applied with deep pink lips, ready for her black mask to be added.

She giggled softly at the stares with a slight blush. "Let's just agree that we all look beautiful tonight." She waved for Cari to sit on the chair beside her as she looked down at her make-up kit.

.

"There! All set! No one will be able to recognize you now!" Rosie exclaimed as she stepped back and admired her work. She gave Cari copper and light blue eye shadow and light pink lips, with just a dash of blush. Rosie pinned her black mask on and you could see her blue hypnotizing eyes shine.

"Good just in time! The specialists just got here! And I see Aiden!" At the mention of her brother, Cari jumped off the chair and ran to the window in time to see her brother walking in with the rest of Red Fountain, all in their uniforms.

"Aww I wish they let them wear tuxedos. Aiden looks so cool in one." Cari complained.

"Well, not all specialists can afford a tux. Besides I'm pretty sure if your bro wore a tux everyone will attack him, and then you will never get to dance with him." Lea teased. Cari gasped her eyes widening in horror at the fact of that statement.

"Your right! Everyone will swarm him! I need to protect him from wandering hands!" Cari exclaimed as she rushed to the door only to be stopped by Rosie.

"Calm down Cari. If you make a scene then his cover will be blown…" the red head paused for a moment before visibly calming, making Rosie smile "…and you can't leave without your shoes." As she held out a pair of red heels. Cari took a deep breath before accepting the shoes and strapping them on.

"Thanks guys. I'm so glad you know about Aiden. I wouldn't have been able to keep my cool on my own."

"That's what friends are for. To help you keep your crazy brother complex under wraps." Lea teased, ignoring the annoyed mumble that come from Cari.

* * *

"Wow! The decoration committee really went all out this year!" Lea said as she glanced around the large auditorium that now looked like a ballroom.

"You helped didn't you, Cari?" Rosie asked as she noticed the red head smiling proudly.

"Sure did!" before Rosie could say any more they noticed two groups of fairies huddled a few feet away from them.

"What's going on over there?" Cari asked, curious but not able to see above the swarm of girls.

"Hmm… looks like they found a couple of yummy targets to sink their greedy teeth into." Lea commented as she stretched herself a bit taller to look into the circle of chittering fairies. Her eyes began to glow with mirth when she saw the objects of their obsessions. "Uh oh…" She looked to Rosie and Cari's expectant glances. "Ok Ms. MBC…"

"MBC?" Rosie asked in confusion. Without Cari looking away from the tall fairy she answered the brunette "It's her acronym for my 'Major Brother Complex'… spill it Lea." She said impatiently.

Rolling her eyes Lea turned back and pointed to the group farthest from them. "That one is a Specialist that I haven't seen before… could be a freshie. He's pretty nice looking I can see why he's being swarmed, looks like he's enjoying it though… probably a player…"

"Lea! Focus! What about the second group? What does that have to do with my MBC?" Cari asked impatiently, she had an idea but she needed it confirmed.

"Aww… you finally accepted your condition… and that is the first step to recovery…" the blue haired fairy teased, which only got her a glare to which she rolled her eyes to. "Alright, alright… keep your dress on. As I'm sure you can guess…" pointing to the group closest to them " _he_ is the main attraction for the second group. And I must say that he is keeping a cool head and a nice smile, even though it's obvious that he's feeling awkward with them being so close to him… gasp… maybe even feeling him up…" Lea tried to hold in her laughter at the look of horror and anger growing on the red head's face.

Cari took a step forward, fully intending on assaulting anyone who dared touch her little innocent brother without permission. But she was forced to stop when three of the girls from Aiden's group noticed them and they walked towards her. Taking a deep breath she tried to side step them when they stopped a few feet before her, hoping they didn't recognize her. But they only moved to block her more.

"Well, if it isn't Calida Cari. I'm surprised you came to the party knowing full well that you are not wanted." Mimi sneered

"Your one to talk…" she mumbled under her breath, while trying to look over the bully's shoulder to her brother.

"What was that?" purposely blocking her line of sight, forcing Cari to look at her. She couldn't hold back the slight disgust at the dress the dark haired fairy was wearing. A tight dark blue almost black dress that had no back with a halter top that barely covered her chest. Thankfully her skirt reached the floor even though it had a very high slit on the side. A gold elaborate mask and brilliant red lips on her face. Making her look very distasteful.

"O Mimi I didn't see you there. A pity your avoidance of me didn't last longer." Cari said with a fake smile.

"I _will_ convince Mrs. Faragonda to punish you for that stunt you pulled last month. But im still not convinced that those fangs were fake. I'm sure you showed your true colors that day…" Mimi narrowed her eyes at the red head.

Well, I'm sure the truth will win over such rumors. Speaking of truths… your dress looks… like something you would wear, nice choice. Now if you would excuse me." Cari said too sweetly as she tried to push her way through but was roughly pushed back.

"Now where do you think you're going?"

"To greet a friend." Cari said with the same fake smile on her face.

 _Scoff_ "A friend other than those two mindless losers? Please don't make me laugh." Mimi snickered, echoed by the two girls behind her.

"You shouldn't talk about your friends like that, Mimi. Especially when they are right behind you or you'll end up without any." Lea said smiling but eyes shooting cold daggers at the nuisances before them, who were scowling in return.

"My, Cari is right, what an interesting dress you have, Mimi. It reflects your personality nicely." Rosie said in her sweet sing-song voice. Causing Lea and Cari to snicker uncontrollably. Mimi at first beamed at the praise but grew confused at the laughter. Refusing to show her confusion she stayed silent.

"Yup that promiscuous dress reflects you perfectly!" Lea said between her snickers.

The three skimply dressed fairies gasped in unison at the realization of the insult and rage was soon seen clear on their faces.

"You have no right to laugh Calida Cari. That dress does not suit a rude tomboy like you, sweats would've been better for you. But I can see why you are trying very hard to hide who you are. Though, it would've worked if you ditched the giraffe you call a friend. Everyone knows that you are the only one who hangs out with Talea."

"Who says I was trying to hide who I am? Besides, you should've tried harder to hide who _you_ are. You might've had a chance to talk to more people besides those two." Cari nodded to the two girls behind Mimi.

Choosing to ignore the insult after a short moment Mimi changed topics. "You will be wise to stay away from my future lover."

"Future lover?" Cari asked taken aback.

"Why Aiden of course!" Mimi said with her nose tilted arrogantly in the air. "He will be enthralled by my obvious beauty and charms, ask me for the first dance, then he will never want to part with me after tonight. Sure we may never be able to marry, I could never marry beneath me, but that doesn't mean I can't have a lover to entertain me on the side."

Cari and her friends froze in shock at the name of Mimi's target.

After a short pause Rosie and Lea looked between a shocked Cari, a smug Mimi, then to where they could barely see Aiden's strawberry blonde hair. When they locked eyes with each other they couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Rosie and Lea's laughter shook Cari back to reality and had her laughing as well.

"What is so funny?!" Mimi all but yelled at them. "Don't tell me…" she bully gasped in disgust before giving them her smug smile "If you were thinking that someone as gorgeous and perfect as Aiden would ever consider _you_ … a worthless, ugly, unwanted _cursed_ fairy who is far better off at Cloud Tower with those evil witches… to be anything else besides an eyesore is just pathetic! Why would he choose someone like _you_ over someone as beautiful as _me_?!" She exclaimed haughtily, the two mindless drones behind her mumbling their agreement.

Rosie and Lea both reached out and grabbed Cari's hands, giving her a squeeze in silent support and reminder that she was not alone.

Lea looked past Mimi's shoulder as the Headmasters announced that the first dance was about to begin and smirked. "Hmm… I think you need to stop your delusional outbursts. I'm sure a sensible man as Aiden wouldn't even spare you a glance, but please continue your dreaming we wouldn't want you to completely fall into despair." Lea said casually.

"How dare you! Watch! You will see… I always get what I want and deserve!" Mimi spat.

"O I have no doubt about _that_ , but we shall see who gets the first dance. Here comes your charming specialist now, why don't we just ask _him_." Lea said as her mischievous smirk grew.

"Excuse me ladies." The six girls turned to the masculine voice. They saw Aiden giving them a slight polite bow, before making eye contact with each one. "I couldn't help but notice you all from afar and just had to ask one of the most enchanting young ladies here if I could have the honor of this first dance."

Mimi smiled haughtily and took a confident step forward as she held out her hand for him to take. "Why of course I-"

Aiden completely ignored her, smoothly stepped around her and held out his hand to Cari in silent question.

Smiling brightly, mirth dancing in her eyes, Cari slightly curtsied before placing her hand in his. "It would be my honor to have this first dance with you."

He escorted her out to the dance floor, ignoring the angered mumbles from Mimi, just as everyone began to pair up as the first dance of the night began.

"And here I was about to go rescue _you_ from that swarm of enamored fairies." Cari remarked soft enough for only her brother to hear, who only laughed at her slight pout.

"What kind of specialist would I be if I stood around and did nothing while my sister was attacked? Besides I can't have you saving me all the time." He teased with a wink. Cari just shook her head fighting the urge to ruffle his hair.

"I see that Talea chose your dress." He eyed the red dress, as he gracefully spun her out. Getting a good look at it, he knew his sister was too shy to ever wear normally.

"Yup, she thought it might be a good chance to jump out of my comfort zone as well as hide who I really am." Cari said with a shy smile once she spun back to him. "Speaking of which, I'm surprised you were able to recognize me, I barely did… and I was looking at a mirror."

He rolled his eyes "I wouldn't be much of a brother if I couldn't recognize my own sister just because you're wearing a dress for _once_."

"Hey! I wear dresses! … sometimes… they are just hard to fight in…" she grumbled at the end, making him snicker.

"I don't think they're _meant_ to be fought in." She glared at him while he tried hard to hold in his laughter.

"Anywayyyy… have you found a team yet?" She asked, changing the subject, as they continued to effortlessly glide across the dance floor.

"No, not yet. I've been bouncing around from team to team but none seem to be a good fit for me. Don't get me wrong they're all skilled and I can work with each of them just fine, but something just doesn't _feel_ right. I haven't felt like I belong, like I'm just an extra part trying to force myself to fit in. I guess I should be glad that the professors notice my incompatibility with the teams I've tried so far. But at this rate… I dunno I might just have to settle with one until next year." He shrugged with a tight smile, trying to show that it didn't affect him, but she knew better. She knew that it mattered very much to him.

Having a team to grow and bond with, to be wanted and needed, friends that he can trust and protect, _that_ was what he really wanted…has _always_ wanted… and waiting till next year to find the perfect match will mean a lonely year for him.

"Anyway, thanks for leaving me all those treats." His genuine smile returning "But shouldn't you be worried that someone will catch you and wonder what you are doing scaling Red Fountain walls to leave gifts for a freshman you just met?"

Cari giggled "No one will see me. I go right before dawn, when it is still dark out. And if anyone catches me they probably won't recognize me, they will just think an Alfea student is crushing on a specialist and leaving him love letters or something."

"How _wouldn't_ they recognize you?" He asked with some sarcasm. "Not like you are famous at my school from ACS already." They both knew that anyone could tell who she was by now; she has been going to Red Fountain almost every day since school started.

"Because, my dear brother, I don't ' _scale'_ the walls to get to your room... I _fly_." She responded with a wink before giggling at his shocked expression. Her smile grew as she had to maneuver them from bumping into a close by couple, which shook him out of his shock and took the lead once again.

"You transform?" she nodded "You use magic _just_ to leave me presents?" He said completely shocked.

"Don't be so shocked, Aiden. I _am_ a fairy after all, I have wings." She teased.

"I know you do, but you don't _like_ transforming when you don't have to." He said as he spun her.

"I would use my magic 24/7 for you little brother, just to see you happy." Sincerity showing in her smile. "Besides, it's easier and faster to fly to your balcony than it is to climb, not to mention faster to escape if spotted. And not a single Specialist has seen me transform… they all probably think I can't. And if you recall I look pretty different transformed, so if they _do_ see me they won't put two and two together. No worries."

He just shook his head knowing he wouldn't be able to get her to stop the visits. That's just how she was, doing anything in her power to make sure he wouldn't feel lonely in his empty apartment. But he would never tell her just how much it meant to him, how much it brightened his day to find the little sweets, flowers or messages she leaves on his balcony every morning. Though he was pretty sure she already knew. All he could do was say thanks, and he was rewarded with her bright smile.

They looked beside them when they heard swooning squeals. A red brown haired specialist that was surrounded by a group of girls had just smoothly dipped the girl he was dancing with. Causing the other girls to squeal in admiration of how strong and a graceful dancer he was.

"Who is that?" Cari asked as they continued their dance after the next song transitioned smoothly.

"He transferred in this year. I hear he was to be a 3rd year at his old school, but since a couple of credits didn't transfer through he was placed as a 2nd year instead. I think he's a prince, can't remember from which planet though. But I do know he specializes in archery and is a highly skilled tactician." Aiden said.

"Oo I wonder why he transferred so late, especially when so close to graduating. Not many would bother transferring at that point. Well, hopefully he'll be fine; it must be hard to suddenly get a new team."

He nodded "I hear he isn't getting along with the team he is currently assigned to either."

"Really? How come?"

"Something about being hesitant in following orders and becoming distracted easily. Even running off in the middle of practices or missions, and then reappearing randomly. What's surprising is each time the team comes out successful regardless. But because of his odd behavior they are starting to call him the 'royal misfit'."

"I'm sure there's a good reason for his actions, no one in their right mind would abandon their teammates, especially in the middle of a mission. I think someone just needs to be patient and observant of him. That is if they want to find the reason for his odd actions." Cari looked at the so called 'odd' Specialist as he danced smoothly with his partner. _'Hmm… I think I can see the reason…'_ She looked back to Aiden and smiled. "And who knows you two 'misfits' might end up being the start of the perfect team." Cari smirked. Which made Aiden arch a brow in confusion before smiling back, wondering why she would think that.

* * *

The night went along smoothly. After the third dance with her brother they had both been asked to switch partners. And she hadn't stopped dancing since.

Because of the mask, hair color change, and dress, no one had recognized Cari at all. She was grateful for the refreshing feeling of people looking, talking, and even dancing with her without the usual hint of fear or skepticism in their eyes.

After dancing for a few hours, she decided to step outside for a break.

She leaned against one of the lower towers viewing platform's edge and smiled at the soft breeze that blew through her hair, admiring the stars above. Soon she was greeted by Akira and Gylde.

"Hey guys! How's your night been?" Cari asked as she stretched out her hands for the purple bird and bat to land on.

"Our night flight has been wonderful and relaxing. How is the dance?" Akira asked as gratefully landed on her fairy's hand while Glyde landed on her shoulder and began to nuzzle Cari's neck.

"Great! I'm glad I let Lea pick out my dress. Sure it's something I wouldn't ever choose for myself but the mask gives me enough confidence to get out of my comfort zone. Not to mention none of the Specialists have recognized me! I didn't think I would've received so many dance requests. But the attention became a bit too much for me, I just had to take a break … I'm not really used to it… so many taking an interest in me outside the sparring circle." Cari said as she lovingly patted Glyde's head.

Cari turned to look at the small bat in confusion when she felt him tense against her neck. "What's wrong Glyde?" Her confusion grew as he suddenly jumped off her shoulder and transformed.

She was forced to slightly look up at his tall humanoid form. She arched an eyebrow at him in silent questioning as he hesitantly gazed at her with his deep golden eyes. Cari waited patiently as he quickly adjusted his dark red shirt and black pants, as a soft breeze blew through his long raven hair.

"Mistress, may I be too forward and ask for a dance?" She was shocked by his request for a moment but smiled in knowing.

"Glyde don't tell me you are jealous?" She more stated than asked. When he just shrugged and scratched his cheek in embarrassment she shook her head with a fond smile.

Akira giggled as she hovered off Cari's hand, knowing the fairy was going to accept the bat's request. He took the chance to offer his hand in a silent question.

"You are my precious familiar and friend, Glyde. No one can _ever_ replace you." She said with a gentle smile as she reached out to accept his hand.

"WATCH OUT!" Akira tweeted loudly. The familiar immediately jumped towards Cari and covered her with his body to protect his mistress from the unknown danger.

At first, Cari was too confused to properly react, but her confusion turned to concern when suddenly Glyde hissed in pain and rage. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and gently knelt down with him when he collapsed against her. "Glyde?!" Her eyes widened in panic when she looked over his shoulder and saw a couple of needles sticking out of his back.

"GLYDE! Hold on!" Cari looked around trying to find where the attack came from. _'I don't see anything… why didn't I sense anything earlier?... where's the intruder?...focus… wait… there!'_ Turning quickly in the direction where she sensed something she saw another needle flying towards her purple bird. "Akira! MOVE!"

Without hesitation, the bird quickly flapped her wings and flew higher into the air just barely missing the thrown needle. Then flew to her fairy's side and hovered close, on alert.

Cari pulled out the needles from Glyde's back before gently laying him down. She stood up and positioned herself a few steps in front of her unconscious familiar before throwing one of the needles to the far end of the tower's viewpoint where she sensed the intruder.

"I know your there! Come out and face me you COWARD!" Cari yelled out into the darkness.

She refused to flinch when a figure suddenly appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Since the viewpoint had little to no lighting it was hard to see his face, but she was able to clearly tell he was wearing a Red Fountain uniform.

"Why did you attack us? Red Fountain are guests here, isn't it improper to attack your host?!" Cari exclaimed as she prepared herself to fight the impostor.

 _Scoff_ "You don't fool me, witch." His words were so cold, and distant that it sent an odd shiver down her spine. But she refused to allow the sensation to distract her.

"You should check your eyesight; it's obvious you attacked a _fairy_!" Cari spat back.

He slightly turned his head and crossed his arms, giving the impression that he was looking past her… at Glyde. She was shocked to know that he was watching Glyde reverting back into a bat. Being her familiar, she could always sense when he transformed.

Now she normally wouldn't be shocked that Glyde would revert back to his original form once he lost consciousness, that was a given. What _did_ shock her was the fact that he had reverted back when she was _willing_ him to keep his humanoid form. Usually, she gave him free reign to transform whenever he chooses since it never drained her, but being the master she had full control over when he was to transform or not.

Her thoughts were going haywire. She hid her worry and kept her eyes on the attacker, not wanting to show her thoughts.

' _The transformation couldn't have gone against my orders even if he willed it or was drugged. So what is going on? Our contract is still active and our connection still strong… so what? … wait…'_ Cari mentally reached out to the connection Glyde and her shared. _'Something is different about our link… it's getting… weaker… but how? What did that needle do to him? What did_ he _do to him?'_

Cari moved to completely block the intruder's sight from her bat, not wanting him to get any ideas of hurting her familiar anymore, she forced him to only look at her again.

"Never heard of a _fairy_ with a familiar."

"What did you _do_ to him?" She asked in a deadly tone.

' _Cari… it seems that Glyde was poisoned in a way. But it is a unique kind of poison; it is blocking the magical bond between the two of you. He can't link to your powers, nor can you send them to him…'_ Akira telepathically told her

"Give me the antidote…" she demanded anger burning in her eyes.

"Surrender witch."

"Last warning, _intruder_ … give me the antidote and stand down… or I will _make_ you." She finished between clenched teeth. She was trying hard to keep her anger under control; she couldn't afford to lose focus, not when Glyde was poisoned and defenseless.

When his response was to scoff, she rushed forward, quickly closing the distance between them. She pushed down the smile she wanted to show when she saw surprise flash in his eyes for a quick moment when he barely managed to dodge her attack in time. But she couldn't stop the smirk when he tried to hide the grimace when her punch brushed his upper arm. _'Regretting it now aren't you?'_

Without hesitation, she continued her attack. But she was surprised when he completely dodged her second fist; it had been faster than the first one. No one had _ever_ been able to fully dodge her second attack before.

She hid her surprise as she smoothly and quickly spun as she raised her foot to kick him, smirking at his bored expression _. 'He better hope he can dodge this one… but I hope he chooses to block it… even if he_ could _block my kick he will at least end up with a broken limb.'_

To her amusement the Specialist raised his arm to block, she grinned when pain flashed through his bored expression when she made contact.

The impact was so strong it sent the intruder sliding off the platform and onto the tiled roof a few feet below. He slightly cushioned his fall by rolling right before landing on the roof's tiles, but the force still had him slide back a couple more feet before stopping, causing a good amount of damage.

When he managed to stop he looked up and glared at her. "Hmm…" was all he said as she softly landed on the roof before him and regarded her with the same bored expression as before.

As though on cue, they both charged at each other with equal speed… neither showing signs of backing down.

She stopped just a few feet away from him and took her stance preparing to greet him with another powerful kick. Analyzing the speed he was going at she had a few seconds before he was in range, just enough time to ensure this kick would be stronger than the last.

But when she took the needed extra step and started to raise her leg… her feet tangled in her long dress, which resulted her in losing her balance and landed face first onto the roof.

Luckily, Cari felt the Specialist continue his attack, missing her completely as he passed over and away from her. _'See… I told Aiden dresses weren't best for fighting…'_

When she suddenly sensed danger coming from behind, she quickly rolled to her left, barely missing a powerful punch. Quickly jumping to her feet, she felt her dress catch on a broken tile and rip. Looking back she saw the back of her once long dress was now shortened to a little past her knees.

"Are you kidding me?! I just bought this dress!"

Instinctively, she looked up in time to see him charging at her again and jumped to her right missing contact with his fist. _'I hate being on the defensive…I need to get that antidote asap…'_ Grumbling, she quickly jumped back and away from him.

Once at a good distance, she quickly ran her left pointer finger down the left side of her skirt. Using her fire she burned/cut a high slit, then moved to cut the slit on the right side to be equal to the one on the left. Reaching in between her legs she grabbed the shortened back of her skirt and pulled it to the front, then using the front section of the skirt she wrapped it around her waist and securely tied the two ends together giving her free use of her legs _. 'There now I can fight… and he won't see my panties…'_

"Now where were we?" Cari sneered, before charging at him again. She saw that he was expecting her to use her legs to attack again. Leaving her face unreadable, she drew back her fist at the last minute and threw a hard punch. Slightly growling in annoyance when he blocked it. Within that same time, she raised her other arm to block a punch he threw at her.

Back and forth they exchanged blows, neither showing any signs of wavering even when a painful blow landed. Both trying their hardest to gain the upper hand, but their opponent making it very difficult.

After what seemed like seconds to the untrained eye, they were both forced back when their powerful kicks blocked each other and effectively canceled each other out.

Cari felt her leg tingle from the blow, not sure if it was from pain or shock, but that would not stop her from doing everything she can to save Glyde. _'The connection is getting weaker… time for a little boost…'_

With a cry she rushed him again but this time with her flaming aura engulfing her body, ready to burn the one who dared to hurt her precious familiar. At that point, she didn't care that her speed or strength was boosted dramatically or how much damage she was going to cause. All she cared about was getting the antidote from this jerk even if she had to beat it out of him.

Right when they were about a foot from each other, a stern voice bellowed behind them:

"ENOUGH!"

Before she could even process the order, she felt a strong and familiar hand grab her outstretched wrist, diverted her momentum by pulling her around him, then throwing her high into the air.

Shocked she allowed herself to rise into the sky until she naturally began to fall back down. Her shock melted away while her rage still sparked, as she felt herself fall back down.

But her anger disappeared once she caught sight of her brother standing casually with his arms crossed below her. Using her magic she softened her landing and gently touched down on the roof. Once beside him, she couldn't help but pout at him.

"Did you _have_ to throw me so high? I could've gotten hurt." She teasingly whined, seeing him roll his eyes made her want to giggle but stopped short when she saw the intruder begin to stand a distance away from them _. 'At least I wasn't the only one thrown…'_

At the reminder of his actions, her anger began to blaze anew as she allowed her aura to surround her again.

"O that's _right_ … I have someone I need to beat up…" Cari growled, taking a step forward. She paused when she felt a hand grab her arm and hold her back. Turning she began to glare at whoever dared to stop her, barely wondering why they hadn't felt the raging heat of her flame.

Instantly she calmed enough not to break away from the hand on her arm when she locked on to a familiar pair of blue eyes. Aura still burning, she questioned her brother.

"Why are you stopping me? He _poisoned_ Glyde… I will _make_ him give me the antidote." Cari told him in a soft but stern voice.

Before he could respond the same voice from before interrupted. Cari looked back to see Rosie, Lea, Headmistress Faragonda, and the one who spoke: Headmaster Saladin.

"Is this true, Mallori?"

Cari glared at the Specialist who had walked over to them…close enough to hit now. She finally noticed that Faragonda was using her magic to light the roof they were on. And she finally got a good look at the intruder's face.

His midnight black hair was fairly long, messy, and slightly covered his brown eyes. Standing right beside them, Cari noticed he was Aiden's height but his body frame was slightly slimmer. She inwardly smirked at the idea that her brother was most likely stronger than the jerk, ignoring the fact that said jerk was indeed faster than Aiden.

"Yes." He confirmed bluntly, sending a quick glare to Cari. Which made her want to hit all the more, the only thing that kept her rooted was Aiden's firm hand on her arm.

"Explain." Red Fountain's headmaster ordered.

"I witnessed this witch interacting with her familiar." Cari's aura spiked and Aiden slightly squeezed her arm in both comfort and restraint. "To avoid battle with the familiar I 'sedated' him. Now I see I should've struck down the witch first." Mallori said as he looked at Cari with his bored expression again.

' _Yea, keep it up… I can't wait to strike_ you _down…'_ Cari silently threatened.

"You were too quick to pass judgment, Mallori. Princess Calida Cari is by far a witch, she is an Aflea fairy." Saladin said.

The Specialist opened his mouth to argue but paused when Faragonda stepped forward and gestured for his silence. "Though it _is_ highly uncommon for a fairy to make a contract with a familiar, it is not _unheard_ of. It is harder for a fairy to complete the familiar contract without using the dark arts, but Cari found a way. Making her an exception. Now stand down." Faragonda replied holding his cold stare.

Mallori held the old woman's gaze for a moment before locking eyes with his headmaster, who nodded. "What Faragonda says is true. Yield."

He immediately nodded, slightly bowed to the headmasters and made to jump off the roof.

"Wait! Give me the antidote!" Cari exclaimed.

The Specialist regarded the headmaster who nodded once again before he reached into a leg pocket and threw a small vile to the red head. "It wouldn't have killed him." He said before jumping off the roof and headed towards the Red Fountain ships.

As soon as the vile was in her hands her aura blew out and she ran to Glyde.

Carefully she cradled his small body in her arms and had him drink the contents of the vile. She sighed in relief when she felt their connection begin to grow strong again. As it grew she was able to feel that he was very weak, so she sent him some of her power to help him recover faster. She smiled at Akira who had landed on her arm and comfortingly brushed a wing over his head.

Cari looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Smiling at Rosie, she stood up and faced the headmasters. "Thank you. And I apologize for the damage the fight caused."

They all glanced to the 'battleground' and saw the roof was fairly destroyed. Holes punched right through and tiles out of place.

Faragonda only shrugged with a smile. "It's alright my dear. I'm just glad you didn't sustain or give any major injuries." Cari nodded sheepishly.

"Though, it is _I_ that should be asking forgiveness for my student's rash actions. I will have him repair the damages done here." Saladin stated slightly bowing to Faragonda. Who just waved his apology away with a smile.

"Mistakes were made; the young will always be rash and quick to jump to conclusions. And no real harm was done." Faragonda waved a glowing hand towards the damaged roof. They all watched in amazement as her magic flowed and quickly repaired the damages done to the roof as though they never happened. "And the damages have been easily taken care of so there is no need for Mallori to fix anything."

"I will have a word with him either way." Saladin said before he turned to Aiden. "You did well to stop the fight smoothly and swiftly. Your reaction to analyze, act and command was impressive. I am sure your parents would be very proud." The headmaster said with a smile.

"Thank you for your great praise, Headmaster… and I apologize for being so forward in voicing a command to you and Headmistress Faragonda." Saladin just shook his head.

"No, you were right to do so. If Faragonda and I casted our barriers as we planned, I'm sure young Cari would have broken through them easily. Which would have left Mallori defenseless and open to her attack. You managed to diffuse the situation quickly and without any additional harm. Though, I am surprised that _you_ did not receive any injuries yourself." He turned to eye Cari. "I felt your flame's heat from here. I'm sure if anyone were to touch you in that state they would sustain heavy burns, am I correct?"

"Yes, it's like a flaming armor. Touching it will result in burns, and the severity of them will depend on how high I have it. Though my immediate family has very high tolerance to my armor, Aiden is the only one who has perfect immunity."

"O and how's that?" The headmaster asked curiously as he rubbed his chin.

Cari shrugged. "Instinctively, my parents will remain unharmed even if they are able to feel the heat, but if I _will_ it, they can receive slight burns. But even if I will it at my highest heat, Aiden won't even feel my flame's heat. We are not exactly sure why." Cari said rubbing the back of her neck.

"MBC…" Lea coughed 'discreetly'. Making Cari glare at her, where the tall fairy merely smiled innocently.

"MBC?" Faragonda asked

 _Sigh_ "She thinks it's because I have a… Major Brother Complex…" she mumbled the last part as she felt her cheeks redden.

"Hmm… well, siblings do tend to have closer relationships than that of their parents. Though it seems that your relationship is closer than most." Saladin noted with a smile. "Well, this night has been very interesting indeed. But I am sure you would all like to return to the party before it ends." He finished with a wink as he and Faragonda turned to return first.

Once alone, Rosie and Lea rushed to embrace Cari.

"You sure you aren't hurt? That fight was pretty intense, not to mention your dress is _shredded_." The blue haired fairy said surveying her friend closely.

"I'm fine. Just a few bruises here and there, nothing to worry about… I just hope that jerk is worse off." Cari said with a frown.

"How is Glyde?" Rosie asked in an attempt to distract her friend from the dark haired Specialist. Cari looked down in her arms and sighed in relief to see her familiar now resting peacefully.

"He'll be fine. I'm giving him an extra boost through our bond to help him heal faster. He should be fine after a good night's sleep."

"That's a relief. So I bet you are going to bail on the party now?" Lea asked.

"Yea, I want to keep a close eye on Glyde for now. Not to mention that my dress is completely ruined, there is no way I can go back like this." Cari said glancing down at her messy appearance, knowing her hair must look like a hot mess now too, and realizing she had lost her mask sometime during the fight.

"Alright go get some rest and we'll talk later." Aiden said as he playfully messed her hair even more.

Smiling, she looked up at her brother. "Thanks for helping me calm down, Aiden. I'll see you tomorrow morning at ACS?"

Arching a brow he regarded her carefully. "Shouldn't you skip tomorrow? Your leg seems to be bruising pretty badly." Cari looked down and saw the leg she used to block Mallori's kick had a large bruise on the entire length of her shin. Then realizing that it was tingling, feeling as though it had fallen asleep. She stretched and rolled her ankle to make sure nothing was torn or broken. But thankful it only felt sore, no pain.

"It'll be fine. No damage, just a bruise. It just looks worse than it is." She replied confidently. Her brother just nodded but noted to himself to watch her very carefully tomorrow.

.

Cari said her goodnights as she headed to her room while the three of them returned to the party.

Once in her room, she tucked Glyde into his soft bed, and Akira settled into her nest while Cari went to shower.

Once in the bathroom and undressed, she looked at herself in the full height mirror and groaned. She saw bruises covering most of her body, from all the hits and blocks she took.

' _I haven't had this much damage in a long time… this would've been a whole lot worse if I hadn't been strengthening my body for so long… psh If I only focused on my magic like a normal fairy I'm sure I would have at least some broken bones maybe even laying in the hospital now… who was that jerk anyway? He's too strong to be any normal student… and how was I not able to sense him until I really tried looking? And what was with his poison needles?... That's not a common weapon used by Specialists… ughhhh… I have a weird feeling about him… but whatever… I swear if he turns on me or my brother I will not hesitate to severally burn him…'_

* * *

A/N: Well, hope you enjoyed this next chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to post again real soon... fingers crossed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and a special thanks to Skylar Sparks for your support and encouragement.

Let me know what you thought about this chapter and the entrance of Mallori. ;-)

Until next time

~ P. Yukiko :-)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"I strongly believe that you should be in bed, _resting_."

"I'm _fine_ , Akira. Nothing broken and nothing sprained. Just a little bruised, besides you know I have to drop off these muffins to Aiden." Cari replied calmly as she struggled to jump through the trees towards Red Fountain. Though slightly annoyed that she was forced to use magic to boost her jumps, enough to make it from tree branch to tree branch.

"And how do you propose you will do that without being _seen_? The sun has practically risen, at this rate you will be caught and someone will start to ask questions that neither of you want to answer yet. I'm sure he will be fine without receiving your gifts for one day." Akira snapped back, getting frustrated at her fairy's reckless behavior.

It was obvious her body was too bruised and sore to be walking around, let alone jumping in the trees. She was traveling at less than half her normal speed, not to mention the whole reason they were late was because she was barely able to get up from bed because of her bruised ribs.

"Normally I would agree with you, but since there was that whole ' _incident'_ at the party last night I know he'll worry if I divert from my usual schedule," Cari replied with a casual tone. "And since _I'm fine_ …" sending her partner a look "I can drop this off before training starts… like _normal_."

"Hmph. I assure you, he will worry either way. As though he will not obviously suspect you are hiding something, covering your limbs with leggings and compression arm warmers. It is not like he _knows_ that you dislike wearing them." Cari frowned "Besides at the pace you are currently traveling at, you will arrive late to both the Prince's balcony and ACS training. You should've just stayed on your soft cloud-like bed and recovered, instead of jumping in trees. I'm sure your brother would prefer your _wellbeing_ over _muffins_." The bird smirked when Cari stopped on a wide branch while glancing at the sky. ' _Finally she will admit defeat…if not for her sake than for Aiden's…'_

"Your right Akira…" the bird internally smiled in triumph, but when she saw Cari's eyes mischievously glitter, her smile turned into a grimace. "It would be better to jump on clouds…" the fairy finished with a smirk.

"Wait what?" The small purple bird asked a mere second before Cari called out her Charmix transformation.

Akira internally kicked herself, _'Of course the stubborn girl wouldn't admit defeat._ ' She cursed under her breath as she glared at the young transformed fairy floating before her in a glittering light purple top and mini skirt, matching boots, and hair pulled into two mid-high pig tails. Above her heart laid her Charmix pin of a winged heart, and strapped on her waist was a small circular bag, her charms hanging off the front.

In this outfit, her bruises were completely visible, but considering they were going to fly and fly quickly no one will even notice her let alone her injuries.

"Alright, top speed! Can't be late!" Cari exclaimed as she pushed off the tree trunk, wincing before she quickly flew ahead leaving the frustrated bird to reluctantly follow behind her.

.

Panting, Cari entered the training room. After a quick calming moment she looked around and saw she was the first student to arrive. Looking around she saw Riven at the other end of the room lifting some equipment.

"Morning Riven! Need some help?" She hoped he didn't hear her slightly winded voice.

"Morning brat! Great timing! I need those weights and beams moved into storage. Seems yesterday's club didn't clean up before they left." He said shaking his head, as he headed to the back storage room shouldering some beams with ease.

Cari looked at the weights and beams, both looking fairly heavy. Normally that wouldn't be an issue, she could easily carry a few of them at a time, but with her currently beaten body, she cringed at the thought of her muscles screaming against the weight.

"You better not~" Akira chided her. "Just tell Riven…"

"Fine, I will…" Cari cut her off as she bent down and lifted a single beam, grateful that it wasn't too heavy.

"O really? When?" Cari shrugged at the bird, walking away.

"When he asks." She answered over her shoulder.

Internally screaming the bird took a deep cleansing breath "I cannot deal with her today…" she mumbled as she perched on a nearby window and kept a watchful yet glaring eye at her fairy.

Not long after the room was cleaned up, did the Club members begin to arrive, where they paired up and began their stretching exercises.

Cari slightly jumped at the soft yet cold voice behind her; slowly turning and fearing the blue eyes that she knew was staring down at her.

"Good morning Ms. Cari…" Aiden said with a neutral and calm tone, but his eyes betrayed his annoyance and frustration. "It seems we both currently lack a partner, shall we pair up and stretch together?"

She knew this was his way of finding out how injured she really was. He knew her routine by heart after all; he knew which ones will push her already sore muscles to scream in agony. "Umm… N-normally I would love to take you up on your offer, but unfortunately I have already c-completed my morning stretches… heehee…" she gave him a nervous smile while rubbing the back of her neck. Praying he will walk away, no matter how unlikely.

"There is no harm in stretching some more." He coolly replied as he held out his hand, she internally cursed herself for automatically accepting it. _'He's gonna kill me…'_

.

"Alright! Good job everyone!" Riven praised the resting group "Since we finished up a bit early, how about a quick sparring match?" Excited they quickly stood up, hoping they would have a chance to spar with the fairy, who was currently splayed out in the corner of the room, exhausted.

Before anyone could question why she looked exhausted, especially when normally she would still be bouncing around begging for a sparring partner, the main door suddenly swung open, startling everyone. A dark haired Specialist stood there for a moment looking back at the group with uninterested and bored eyes.

Riven broke everyone out of their confused trance. "I was wondering when you would arrive." The coach said slightly annoyed. "Everyone this is Mallori, he got into some trouble yesterday and now as punishment, he will be training with us until noted otherwise. _Don't_ go easy on him." Riven said with an evil grin.

Cari looked up at the name and her fatigue and pain quickly melted away once she caught sight of the student. "YOU!" She loudly exclaimed, making everyone flinch, as she jumped to her feet. He side-glanced her way but only for a brief moment before walking over to lean on the far wall, closing his eyes. It took all her will power to keep from storming over and punching him.

"You know him?" Riven asked intrigued.

"You could say that…" Cari said curtly.

"Well, then it will be good for you to get better acquainted. I need to get an idea of how skilled he is anyway. You two will spar together today."

"Professor Riven I don't think-"

"Gladly!" Cari quickly cut Aiden off. Avoiding his eyes, she turned to Mallori. "Let's spar." She said, practically ordering him.

Everyone thought he was going to ignore her but were surprised when he silently followed her to the more secluded training mat. As if on cue everyone else paired up and began their own sparring sessions.

The two stared each other down as they waited for Riven to explain the rules: "Alright, a nice easy clean fight. You are new, so here are the rules: No magic, no weapons, and no lethal moves. If you violate the rules: you lose. If you're pinned down for more than 5 seconds: you lose. If you leave this mat: you lose. If you are knocked out: you lose. Keep it clean, keep it safe, and do keep your guard up." He chuckled "Ready? Begin."

Both charged quickly at alarming speeds and blocked the other's punch flawlessly. Slightly jumping back they circled each other a bit before attacking again, this time trying to avoid direct contact.

Riven was amazed to see such skill from the newcomer. Being able to withstand direct combat with Cari without fully going on the defensive isn't easy. But before he could notice any odd behavior, a student called him over for some assistance.

Nearby Aiden was lightly sparing the red-brown haired student that was swarmed at the party last night. Aiden barely registered that he had introduced himself as Calleo before their spar began.

Noticing his distraction, Aiden was quickly tripped and pinned down by his opponent.

His attention was forced away from his sister and completely focused on the hazel eyes that were staring down at him, bright with amusement. "You should pay closer attention to the match in front of you, instead of beside you." He gently smiled, offering a hand.

Aiden nodded with an apologetic smile as he accepted the offered hand. "Apologizes Calleo, it is always interesting to watch Ms. Cari's matches, and it seems this time she is more fired up than usual." Nodding in response they both turned to watch the match.

'… _her injuries are going to get worse at this rate…'_ Aiden thought as he saw the hesitation in Cari's attacks, not mention her labored breathing.

"Hmm… interesting." Said the red-brown haired Specialist as he turned to walk over to Riven. "Excuse me, Professor." Riven looked up after demonstrating a defensive move to a student.

"Yes, Calleo?"

"I do believe you need to put a halt to that match." He said with a smile, motioning to Cari and Mallori.

Arching a questioning brow, Riven watched the match carefully, eyes widening before rushing over to them.

"Stop! Match is over!" He exclaimed loud enough to be heard. With only slight hesitation the two jumped away from each other. Landing on separate corners of the mat they stood straight, no longer in fighting stances, panting heavily, as they continued to glare at each other.

Nodding, Riven turned to the rest of the club members. "That's it for today, hit the showers. See you all bright and early Monday!"

As they began to file out Riven turned back to the ones behind him. "You two stay put. We need to talk."

Once the training room was empty the magenta-haired coach stood over Cari and Mallori, who were seated on a mat drinking water.

"So care to tell me why you two are sparring so intensely when you both are _obviously_ injured?! What. Happened?" When both looked away in silence, Riven pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm the building anger.

"The ' _trouble'_ Mallori got into last night was: he attacked Cari." Aiden said as he walked over to stand by Riven. "The fight got so out of hand that Cari activated her armor, but not before receiving a number of injuries. They would've kept fighting if the headmasters and I didn't step in to stop it. She blindly and stubbornly kept going even when she was this battered and bruised." He said, crossing his arms in frustration and anger.

"Hey! Don't make it seem like it was _all_ _my_ fault! _He_ is the one who poisoned Glyde! I was just trying to get the antidote. Not my fault he wanted me to _beat_ it out of him!" Cari remarked as she pointed to Mallori who just grunted his response without even looking at her. Rolling her eyes she glared back at Aiden. "You should've stayed out of it. Why did you snitch to Riven? I was just about to beat him." Mallori scoffed. Cari turned her glare back at the raven haired Specialist. "Excuse me?! It's not like _you_ were getting any leverage!"

"Enough!" Riven exclaimed, sighing heavily. "Ok… I see we have some unresolved issues going on here. But now I see why the headmaster was insistent on throwing you on me. You have skill but you are lacking in patience and discipline. As for _you_ young lady, Aiden wasn't the one who told me to interfere."

Her anger quickly turned to shock "Then _who_?"

"That new kid, Calleo" Riven said.

When Cari arched a questioning brow, Aiden responded: "That popular red-brown head from the party last night."

"O yea! The misfit! Well, he should've minded his own business…" Cari said, crossing her arms.

"Good thing he _didn't_. You both should know better than to spar like that in your conditions, even bruises can worsen if not treated properly." When they just looked away without saying anything, Riven lost his patience to lecture them anymore. ' _Sigh_ ' "Mallori go hit the showers and rest up this weekend. No training or anything strenuous, _just rest_. I will check up on you tomorrow." Riven ordered before locking eyes with the fairy. "And _you_ will either fly back to Alfea or have Glyde carry you. And when you get home you will do _absolutely nothing_ except rest. If I hear that you did _any_ training I will banish you from training with us for a _month_."

"What?! That's not fair, how come he doesn't get a threat like that?" Cari whined, ignoring her brother's smirk.

"Because he knows if he fails to listen to me he will get a far worse punishment than being forced to participate in ACS." Cari huffed in annoyance. Riven nodded towards Mallori "Now get out of here."

Mallori shakily stood up and walked out of the room, while Cari stayed seated and glared at the raven haired boy's back until the door closed behind him and blocked her sight.

Riven then took the chance to grab her right leg and pull up the leggings, causing her to flinch at the sharp pain the action took.

Cari cringed when she heard Aiden suck in a breath between clenched teeth; she trained her eyes on Riven's feather light touches as he analyzed her swollen and severely bruised shin.

After a moment he gently lowered her leg and slightly leaned back locking eyes with the fairy. Glancing at her right arm he held out his hand. Realizing what he wanted, Cari looked away, refusing to give him her arm.

In one fluid motion Aiden firmly but gently grabbed her right arm and pulled off the warmer.

New bruises were starting to form on her forearm, while her upper arm had a medium sized cut on top of a large bruise she had received the night before.

"How'd you get this cut? You didn't have this before." Aiden asked in a tone that sent chills down Cari's spine.

He sounded detached. _'He only uses that tone when he's extremely angry and trying to keep from exploding…'_

"Umm… wasn't paying attention this morning and a branch slightly… poked me…?" Cari responded avoiding eye contact with her brother.

Cari quickly turned and glared at Akira who started to laugh sarcastically.

At the sight of the glaring fairy, the bird quickly stopped and feigned innocence. "O apologies, Cari. I thought you were telling a joke."

"You know perfectly well that I _wasn't_ …" the redhead growled at the purple bird who just shrugged, obviously not at all remorseful.

Riven took the chance to examine her other bruise-free left leg and slightly bruised left arm. The only major damage they noticed were her extremely bruised right leg and the cut on her arm. Cari internally sighed her relief as Aiden just wrapped up the bleeding cut and slipped the arm warmer back into place without saying a word.

Not wanting to argue, Riven took a deep breath before calmly saying: "You could've hurt yourself far worse than this, Cari. You should know better. If you don't properly rest, your leg is going to take _weeks_ to heal and I'm sure you will hate being cooped up in your room during that time." Cari groaned in disgust "Then, I suggest you have either Aiden or Glyde carry you back, no running, no jumping. And when you get back home, NO training. Just take it easy this weekend. Promise me and I'll let you come by Monday, Ok?" Riven asked concern in his eyes.

Reluctantly nodding she agreed to his terms, anything was better than staying in bed doing nothing for a month.

"Good, now off you go." Riven said as Aiden helped Cari stand on her trembling legs and guided her to her bag to wake her familiar.

.

Glyde was very happy to oblige his master's request in carrying her back to her room.

' _Good thing it's early Saturday morning, no one should be awake yet, so we should be able to slip to my room unseen.'_ The hopeful red head groaned the moment the door opened and saw Rosie and Lea at the table eating breakfast.

At the sight of Cari being carried by Glyde, both fairies simultaneously jump from their seats and ran over to them. "Girl what happened?!" Lea exclaimed

"Should you go to the infirmary?" Rosie asked as she fussed over Cari.

"Before she responds with the _'I am fine'_ line, allow me to tell you the _truth_." Akira said as she landed on the sofa's armrest as Glyde gently sat Cari on it before reverting back to a bat and cuddle his mistress' neck.

Ignoring Cari's protests the bird continued. "The Specialist that attacked us last night, left her extremely bruised and sore. And ignoring _common sense_ , she still went to participate in ACS activities. Unfortunately, that same specialist who attacked us is now a member of said club. In the end they had a sparring match which worsened both their injuries. Now, Riven has instructed her to have strict rest and relaxation this weekend or no club activities for a month."

"Way to be on my side, Akira." Cari said as she abruptly crossed her arms, only to grimace and gasp at the action.

Without a second thought, Rosie lifted Cari's shirt. Her friends both gasped when they saw her bruised ribs. "He caught me off guard and it's not as bad as it looks…" Cari quickly said in her attempts to calm them down.

Silently, Rosie released the shirt and walked to her room. Shortly walking back with two vials in her hands, Lea and Cari already knew what they contained.

"Rosie, you know I don't like the daytime one very much. I will just apply the night time one before I go to bed tonight, ok?" The brunette glared knives at the red head, who flinched at the sight.

Rosie was never one to get upset, raise her voice, or glare. She was always calm and collected, the most one could get out of her was a few harsh words. But seeing her so visibly upset showed Cari and Lea just how close she really was to releasing her fury and why she was nicknamed after the Oleander flower… the sweetly scented killer. Beautiful and charming to be around but ignite her raging fire and its sweet smell will consume and destroy you…

Scared to push the usual gentle fairy over the edge Cari just nodded as she slowly lifted her shirt to give Rosie full access to apply the special salve onto her bruised ribs. Flinching slightly she soon relaxed when she started to feel the cooling salve working.

"Still think it's awesome that you invented your own quick cure for bruises and sore muscles, Rosie." Lea exclaimed proudly once Rosie was done and Cari pulled her shirt back down, hoping to calm the brunette down.

"It does come in handy. Though I should make a weaker version of the night time." She commented as she handed Cari the seemingly identical vials. "Make sure you only apply the stronger one at night. Remember it significantly relaxes your muscles to aid in the healing process. Even if it's slow to feel the effects, it still will mercilessly numb your body regardless of how much adrenaline you have in your system. Not to mention how it takes a good portion of your magic to aid in the healing process. Which is why it's best to use it when you are asleep." Rosie sternly warned the redhead.

"I know, I know. That's why I like the night time one better. It heals faster without limiting my movement. And it smells better too." Cari said as she caught a whiff of the bitter day time salve.

"You better chill this weekend girl. Or Mimi will be after you more than usual with that smell coming off you." Groaning Cari nodded her agreement to Lea. "Anyway when are you heading back home?"

"In a few hours. Mama is going to open up a portal for us at the same time. So I just need to relax until then so I can _walk_ through the portal. Don't want Mama and Papa to worry." Cari said with a sheepish smile. Noticing her friends wanting to voice their concerns, she quickly changed the topic. "O I forgot to ask, how did you guys know I was in a fight last night? I'm sure the party was too loud to hear us."

Sighing they allowed the topic change.

"Akira actually found and told us. Once we got the message, Rosie ran to tell Aiden while I told Headmistress Faragonda."

"After I told your brother, he rushed to find Headmaster Saladin. And you know the rest." Rosie finished

"But damn girl! I have never seen you fight like that before! That was scary amazing! And how your brother just took control like that! Even ordering the headmasters around before he jumped in and singlehandedly stopped both of you in a single move! I knew he had skills, being your brother and all, but dam! I didn't expect _that_!" Lea excitedly expressed. Cari beamed at the praise for her brother.

"Yea, he's always been pretty good a diffusing intense situations pretty easily… though sometimes he does it in sudden or unexpected ways." Her bright smile slightly dimmed. "That's probably why he's having trouble finding a permanent team, not many Specialists are flexible enough to change tactics or viewpoints so easily, especially on a sudden drop of a dime."

Knowing how important it was for a Specialist to find a compatible team, her two friends rushed to clear her worries of her brother.

"Well, there has to be a least a couple of specialists out there that are as skilled as he is." Rosie said confidently. "Even on a single rose bush there are few that do not properly bloom nor posses the same color as the others. Even so far to look odd and unwanted against the norm. But when set together, they are the most beautiful and breathtakingly exotic arrangement one could create."

Lea nodded in agreement " _We_ are a prime example of that! The three of us are most definitely not part of _any_ norm, but we found solace in each other. Even though we are _extremely_ different, we complement each other perfectly. I know if I never found you two I would've been a wreck at this school." Lea said, softly leaning an arm on Rosie while Cari nodded in agreement.

"Time brought the three of us together. Time will lead Aiden to his perfect team, he just needs patience." At Rosie's words, Cari's bright smile returned.

' _They're right… If someone like me, who is thought of as a curse on this world, was able to find friends who are loyal and true… Aiden will find his soon enough…'_

* * *

After about an hour of talking to her friends, Cari decided to take a nap once they left to return to their own homes for the weekend.

Her alarm had woke her up just in time for a portal to open a few feet from her bed.

Gently swinging her feet off the side of the bed, she slowly stood testing her leg muscles, making sure they would hold her weight and not limp too much before walking through the portal, Akira and Glyde by her side.

Cari started to stretch her arms but quickly stopped at the sharp pain she got at the action. _'Guess these bruised ribs will take a bit longer to heal…'_ She slowly lifted her bag and walked through the portal back to Eraklyon _. 'Just no sudden movements and I'll be fine…'_ Once through Cari couldn't help but smile when she saw her parents. When she noticed Aiden walking through the portal beside her, her smile grew brighter, even though he still looked fairly upset with her.

The family embraced and greeted each other before the siblings went to drop off their small overnight bags in their rooms.

Since the bruise on her leg was starting to bother her more than she had hoped, Cari decided to add some of Rosie's daytime salve to her leg and arm. _'I already stink from the stuff, a bit more won't hurt…'_ Reaching into her bag, she pulled out one of the vials. Turning the vial in her hand she was interrupted when there was knock at her door. "Yes?"

"Hey, Sweetie. Lunch is about served would you like to walk down with me?" Bloom's bright red hair poked through the door with a loving smile.

Thankful her back was to the door, Cari quickly uncapped the vial in her hand and spread a bit of the salve on her bruises as she responded: "Sure Mama! Be right out!"

Recapping the vial and stuffing it back into her bag, she ran to the bathroom to wash her hands before meeting her mom. Already feeling the salve's soothing effects.

Lunch was delicious and light hearted. Filled with laughter and stories about their first months at school. They were all happy to hear that the school may have finally found a team for Aiden. Even though the Headmaster warned him it will be a tricky and an odd match up, but Monday will be their first meeting and test run as a team. Hopefully, this will be the one he's been looking for.

But lunch was cut short when a solider bust through the dining room doors, exclaiming his apologies as he quickly bowed before the stunned royal family.

"I deeply apologize for the sudden and rude interruption, your royal majesties. But we just received a distress call from a ship that was traveling down the rivers on an expedition. It seems they unintentionally took a wrong turn and are now in a dangerous situation. In their attempts to turn back, the river's currents pushed them against some rocks and are now stuck, also making the ship act as a dam. The civilians are unable to reach the shore safely, and if left unattended for very long the rising water could cause damage to the surrounding wildlife." The soldier rushed to explain as quickly as he possibly could.

"Well, I will just have to lead a team to assist them." Sky started, but Bloom placed a hand on his arm.

"Sky, your father is arriving soon. He has been very insistent on speaking with you about a certain matter, he wouldn't like you missing your meeting with him… you know how he is. Perhaps we could send a team out on their own? It is just a simple rescue mission… no need for the King's presence, right?" Bloom asked the guard, who nodded.

"Hmm… You have a point, but the river current must be powerful if it a boat couldn't even turn around. This may require special attention to assure everyone's absolute safety… I'm sure my father will unders-"

"How about I go for you, Papa?" Cari quickly asked. "You can talk to grandpa as scheduled while I take care of the boat. Shouldn't be too hard, and it can be good practice for me."

"I don't know… many things could go wrong in any situation…" Cari opened her mouth to say she could handle anything, but Sky raised his hand to stop her. "I don't doubt your abilities, Cari, at least on a day where you were _uninjured_. So don't doubt that I wouldn't notice your slight limp upon your arrival." Sky arched his brow waiting to see if she would deny it.

Wondering if she would be able to deny it, she took a glance at Bloom who was giving her a knowing smile.

Admitting defeat, Cari shrugged her shoulders. "It's only a bruise Papa; you know how easy it is to get them when training. Besides I won't be alone, I'll have a team of guards with me."

"And me." Aiden added. He knew Cari would go either way, at least this way he can keep an eye on her.

' _Sigh'_ "Alright, since both of you are going then I know it will be fine. I expect a full written report when you return though." Sky said with a smile, ignoring his daughter's groan.

"Be careful and watch out for each other, ok?"

"We will Mama!" Cari said as she waved her parents goodbye following the soldier who informed them, with Aiden close behind.

"They grow up so fast." Bloom said with a loving smile to her husband.

"Hey! Don't make it sound as though we have become old in return." Sky teased. Making Bloom giggle as they walked to the throne room to wait for the former king's arrival.

* * *

"I thought you were going to take it _easy_ this weekend." Aiden asked his sister in frustration, as they walked through a portal to the boat's location.

"What are you so grumpy about?" She asked lightly flicking his nose. "It's not like we are going to do anything strenuous. Just overlook the freeing of a boat and do some bonding… _easy_. Right guys?" Cari asked the two teams behind them. Who agreed with her in unison.

In Aiden's attempts to be over cautious he insisted that she pick two _highly_ skilled teams to escort them. Since they were pressed for time she agreed and picked two of the best teams on Eraklyon: Team Panther and Team Falcon.

Team Panther was one of the best teams of wizards and long distance attackers in their kingdom. They were widely known for their elegance, patience and wide knowledge and practice in magical arts.

Team Falcon was the best recon team and trackers around. They had superb mastery skills in finding and gathering information quickly, not to mention the speed and distance they can cover in a short amount of time.

Cari figured they will need magic to move the boat from staying part of the scenery and speed to get any trapped civilian to safety. She saw the slight doubt in the soldier's eyes and she couldn't really blame them. Never before have these two been teamed together on a mission, mainly because their talents hardly complimented each other. Normally it would take a time to trust one another in any dangerous situation and would prefer to have some practice training before hand. They could've denied the request for this mission if they wanted to, Cari always gave that option in non-serious situations, but since they both had complete and unyielding faith in their Prince and Princess they agreed to follow regardless of their doubts or concerns. They knew the royal siblings always looked out for their people whether civilian or soldier. Sure their plans tend to stretch far from the norm and borderline crazy at times, but they always ensure everyone's safety and come out victorious in the end.

The faith the teams had in her was all Cari needed for this mission since this was a simple rescue mission that shouldn't be too dangerous, she was sure this would be the first easy step in the Panthers and Falcons becoming closer. She always encouraged different skilled teams to form bonds with each other… you never know when that bond will come be the definition of a win or fail.

"Besides this is better than sitting around doing nothing while we wait for Mama and Papa to finish with grandpa. You know how much he talks." She said with a smile as they stepped out of the portal.

Her smile dropped as they all froze in shock when they took in the scene before them.

' _This was not going to be easy... by any means…'_

They were startled back to their senses when they heard a loud groan coming from the vessel. Jumping into action they ran towards the river's edge, the soldiers hard on their heels as they tried to take in as much as they could of the situation before them.

"What were you saying about this _not_ being strenuous?" The blonde remarked, not taking his eyes off the boat.

"Uhhh…could be better than it looks…?... hopefully…"

None of them were expecting the size or level of difficulty this rescue mission really was. After all, they were lead to believe that this was a _small_ boat, of a _few_ researchers, stuck on some decent sized rocks, that had turned too slow against a _quick_ current in the narrow part of the river… when in fact this was: a _large_ vessel being viciously pushed against a cluster of equally large rocks on a _very wide_ and very angry, _raging river_ that led to one of the largest waterfalls on Eraklyon. Not to mention the large number of passengers were obviously not _JUST_ researchers, it included women and children most likely the researcher's families.

When they noticed the magical barriers that were erected along the length of the river, obviously in an attempt to keep the water from destroying them, made the siblings groaned in unison.

"What the heck were they _thinking_?!" Cari exclaimed as the river slowly raised higher behind weakening barriers.

"They _weren't,_ that's the problem." Aiden said with a hint of annoyance. "We need to get all the passengers onto shore. The boat is a lost cause there is no way to save it now." He concluded.

Nodding, Cari looked around for a way to safely transport the passengers to shore. "There! We can use those large trees as a bridge." She turned to the soldiers. "Listen up! When the trees come down, Panthers will stay on the shore and assist the civilians, you will make sure the tree bridge stays secured. Try to pace yourselves in using your magic we don't know how many people need to be saved or how strong the currents will fight against us. Falcons will board the boat and assist those who are trapped or cannot climb down on their own. Be wary of your footing and surroundings. I know you are extremely fast on land but in a small space and surrounded by water will have you limited, take care. Aiden will assist the Falcons and give orders when necessary." Cari finished as she sparked her flame in her hands.

"What will you do Cari?" She looked at her brother and smiled.

"I will be flying near as I erect my barrier to divert the water to go _around_ the far end of the boat instead of holding it back. Agreed?" Relieved she wasn't going to do anything too physical he nodded.

She looked back to the two teams. "Stay alert and stay safe. Call out if you need help." The soldiers nodded as Cari quickly flew up and used her magic to cut off two large tree's tops, throwing them out of the way, before smoothing out the trunks before cutting through the base of the trees. As they fell she magically caught them and guided them to land softly at the lip of the boat.

"Now!" At her command, the soldiers followed their orders without hesitation.

Team Panther melded their magic into the tree bridge, taking over for Cari. They filled in any gaps and made the bark easy to run on without slipping.

Team Falcon followed their Prince and quickly leaped onto the boat's deck. They divided their tasks; some began herding the civilians to the bridge and to safety, while others rushed below deck to make sure no one was stuck inside.

Cari hovered between the boat and the badly placed barriers. Starting from the shore she slowly made her way across the river. She focused on spreading her shields over the barriers that were cast before coaxing them to release. Since the water pressure behind the barriers were much stronger than she thought, it was taking her longer to make her shields strong enough to withstand the raging currents.

She took down one of the barriers at the far end of the river in hopes to lessen the pressure, but it didn't seem to help much, and she didn't want to risk taking down anymore in fears of starting a chain reaction, if all the barriers fell it would doom everyone on the vessel.

"Ugh making so many shields this thick at the same time is a pain and the crazy water pressure pushing against it isn't helping… They just _had_ to back the water up for the _whole length_ of the dam river." Cari grumbled in frustration.

"Mother nature is a force to be reckoned with. Those who do not respect her power will only find regret and destruction." Akira commented. Her and Glyde were hovering close to Cari while keeping a look out for the civilians as they gave the fairy space to work.

They were almost halfway across the boat's length when Cari heard Aiden cry out.

"Cari! Some barriers are about to give way!" Looking down the wall of barriers Cari saw the large cracks Aiden warned her about. They were about to break a few feet from where her shields ended.

Before she could focus on strengthening those barriers, they shattered. She cursed under her breath as the water shot through the gap of the carelessly erected barriers. With the water pressure being as high as it was, it wasn't much of a surprise to see the concentrated water hit the vessel with such a force that it almost threw it over the rocks it was beached on… the same vessel her brother was still on.

Thankfully Cari was quick enough to use her magic to keep the boat from flipping. Once it was fairly stable and she was certain that it could withstand the force of the water on its own for the time being, she returned her focus on the shields… working faster.

She destroyed another barrier at the far end of the river, hoping the water will focus more on the large gap instead of the smaller one or at least ease the water flow in the middle.

Trying to speed up she was shocked to feel… sluggish… as though her magic wasn't under her full control anymore. ' _Why?'_ Worried that her barriers were losing the connection to her powers without looking back she called for her brother. If everyone was safe, it wouldn't matter if the river destroyed the boat now.

"Aiden! Is everyone off yet?" She cried out.

"Almost! Just a few more!" he responded, as she heard another chilling groan from behind her.

' _Please hurry up!'_ She prayed as she summoned her flaming aura, for a boost and more control.

When she noticed her aura was acting up too, she reluctantly decided that she needed to transform. The only problem with that… there will be a few seconds of hesitation. A few seconds where the flow of her magic will pause in its current support of the barriers she was holding up until her transformation was complete… and it could only take a few seconds for things to go south real quick.

Not having any other choice, she called out her transformation:

"CHARMIX!"

She felt the transformation begin to envelop her but tensed when she felt it stutter to a stop. Looking down, hoping it was just her imagination, her stomach dropped when she didn't see her fairy outfit… worse she saw her flaming aura starting to fade.

' _What's going on? Why can't I transform?'_ she worked through her whole day, trying to find the point that was different… the point that could've caused this… that would force her magic to ignore her commands so fiercely.

Then it hit her… to a couple hours ago… in her room… right before she ran out to meet her mom… _'Oo no… the salve…'_ As if needing visual confirmation she glanced down to her leg, stared slightly wide-eyed at the bruise she knew was hiding under her leggings… she thought back to when she applied the salve in her room… regrettably, she remembered… it hadn't smelled bad.

Akira's voice shocked her from her thoughts. "-ri! CARI! What happened?! You called out for your transformation… why did you stop?"

Before Cari could respond she was cut off at the sound of another loud groan followed by startled screams. Scared to lose her concentration she kept eyes locked on her, thankfully still, growing shields. She could slightly sense that the boat was still standing… floating?

She was slightly relieved to hear Aiden's muffled voice ordering the soldiers into action over the crazed noises around her.

Since his tone was still calm and there was no hint of panic in his voice, Cari was curious as to why the civilians were so startled and panic then they were mere minutes ago… what changed? ' _Something's happening… something I can't see…'_

"Akira what's going on?"

"The rapids are too strong; the boat is starting to break apart. But almost everyone is-" She was cut off when a bone-chilling sound echoed into the air, shortly followed by Aiden's now slightly panicked order:

"Everyone OFF, NOW!"

Cari tried to ignore the noise of metal and wood tearing apart, knowing Aiden was fully capable of taking care of himself and the civilians… he would call her if he needed help. What he needed her to do right now was keep the water back just a bit longer to get everyone to safety… _'My magic can hold until then… I will make sure of it… I won't let him down…'_

She completely focused on her shields, willing her magic to keep an open connection to them, to keep them strong, to keep them up… but when woman's shrill scream pierced the air, calling out for her baby, and a soldier's concern cry for Aiden… forced Cari to turn around.

The sight gave her a panicked knot in her stomach…

The boat was falling apart, Falcons still on the boat, civilians on the tree bridge, said bridge shaking violently against the raging currents… threatening to throw its passengers into the deadly rapids… a father taking his daughter's place as he pulled her to safety, losing his own footing and disappeared into the rapids… Panthers were losing their grip… the woman still screaming for her child… who was frozen in fear on the far side of the deck… Aiden rushing over splintering floorboards towards the child… both too far from the bridge to make it back in time… all the while she lost altitude and landed on the shore.

Within those few shocking seconds, Cari blinked and released the breath she was holding… eyes blazed with determination as she allowed her instincts to take over…

"Glyde! Save that man!" Without hesitation, the bat transformed and dove after the father.

"Panthers, Don't give up! Hold strong! Akira, help them! Use as much of my magic as you need to move the bridge to shore. Save them." The purple bird nodded before swiftly flying over to hover right above Team Panthers and quickly weaved her magic with theirs, strengthening their hold on the bridge, steadying it.

"Falcons, on bridge NOW!" they scrambled at her orders, two hauling the crying mother with them.

In that moment, Cari began to run up the bridge, she took a quick glance back to make sure everyone was in good hands.

She nodded in approval. Glyde was caring for the waterlogged but saved father. Akira made sure the bridge was held strong and firm, even putting up a small barrier around it to prevent anyone else from falling over.

Satisfied that the civilians and soldiers will be safe, Cari turned to focus on Aiden and her crazy plan…

' _Good. Everyone is too busy to notice what I'm about to do...'_

Jumping up to the lip of the boat she quickly took in the scene.

She was gripped with panic as she saw the wood beneath Aiden's feet completely give way, dropping him towards the violent rapids below, the child wrapped tightly in his arms. He was half way turned away from her, looking towards the rapids below.

' _He can't move freely while protecting the kid from the debris…'_

"Aiden! Throw him!" Instantly, two pairs of blue eyes locked with each other. He nodded, before throwing the child to her.

' _I only got one shot at this…'_ She took a deep breath and prepared to jump _. 'here goes nothing!'_

"GLYDE!"

Since Aiden couldn't put much power into his throw without solid footing, the child's flight towards Cari was short before gravity started to pull on him. Thankfully she had predicted this when she jumped and was able to meet the child half way.

As soon as the child was in her arms, she quickly used her momentum to spin around in mid air and threw him as high as possible. Thanks to her physical strength she was able to throw him high enough to clear any debris from the boat and even stay suspended in the air for a short time before falling back down.

Fully confident that her familiar will catch the child and get him to safety, she quickly turned and focused on locating Aiden.

She saw that he managed to find a mass of floating debris to stand on as it rushed down the river heading straight towards the falls.

Being careful she jumped, ran and leaped off any slightly solid surface her feet touched in her efforts to get closer to him, mainly using her left leg. She made her way out of the dangers of the crumbling vessel and was now using the random piles of floating debris to push forward. She grew frustrated at the limited amount of strength she could put in her jumps. If she pushed off too hard the piles would break apart and quickly land her into the rushing water.

When she saw some large rocks ahead she internally rejoiced, now she will be able to close the distance in one jump. Lightly touching the rock with her right leg, and ignoring her screaming leg muscles, she pushed off as hard as she could… aiming to land on the makeshift raft her brother was on.

She knew he sensed her when he suddenly turned to lock eyes with her. He arched a brow in confusion at the sight of her. And why wouldn't he be confused… because why was she jumping? Why wasn't she _flying_ to save him?

Being careful not to break the debris apart with her landing, she summoned as much magic as she could to slow her fall down resulting in a rough, shaky but soft enough landing to keep the pile from falling apart.

Slightly dazed she took a second to catch her breath

"Haha! I did it!" she smiled to herself.

"What the heck are you doing?! We don't have time for this!" even more confused with her smile "Now would be a _wonderful_ time to _fly_ us out of here!" Aiden exclaimed waving to the ever approaching waterfall ahead of them.

She raised her hand to rub the back of her neck with a sheepish smile as she avoided eye contact with him.

"Yea~, about that… I'm kinda _grounded_ … umm… surprise?" She slightly shrugged in an attempt to be casual about their not so great situation.

" _WHAT_?! HOW?" she internally flinched at his angered and shocked voice.

"Yea~…" she took a deep breath and decided to tell him everything at once, ' _better get it over with…'_ "I may have used the wrong salve earlier to treat my bruises. I used the nighttime instead of the daytime, and as a result, it kinda cut off full access to my powers. What I _do_ have access to, is keeping that shield up and helping Akira move the bridge to safety." She said in one breath, thinking and hoping he didn't catch all of it when she saw the slightly blank look in his eyes.

She was wrong… flinching at the sudden anger that blazed in Aiden's blue eyes. He quickly took a deep breath before looking at her again.

"Alright, we'll talk about _that_ later. Now… I _know_ you have a plan or else you _wouldn't_ have jumped to your _doom_ with me so casually, _right_?" He asked as calmly as possible.

"Yea~, about that…" she saw his annoyance with her. "umm… I thought maybe I could _jump_ us out of here, but this little raft thing…" She said as she slightly tapped the contraption with her foot. "…isn't as stable as I thought it would be. I wouldn't be able to jump very far and that's _if_ it holds after I apply the pressure needed to jump off it…"

He rubbed his hand over his face in annoyance.

"Ok, then call Glyde and Akira to get us out of here."

She closed her eyes and stretched out her senses and felt both her dragon partner and familiar were too busy with the tasks she left them with to be of any assistance. They had to put the civilian's safety first, no matter what.

She opened her eyes to see Aiden's questioning eyes. He then arched a brow when she hadn't responded immediately.

"Yea~, about that…"

"STOP. Saying. that! Nothing _good_ comes out after you say that!"

Before she could say anything more, they turned to a loud shattering noise behind them, and they slightly paled when they saw her shield fall apart.

Cari did feel relieved when she saw Akira and Glyde protecting the civilians from the sudden flow of water, making sure no one would be swept away.

But she audibly gulped when she took full notice of the large wall of angry river water coming directly towards them. Looking back didn't make her feel any better; the falls were only a few feet away now.

"Alright, here's the plan!" Aiden said rushed "Since you can't jump us to the shore I bet you can at least get us to those rocks. Maybe we can run to shore from there. Or if anything we can hold onto them and hope to withstand the currents, it's better than facing the falls."

She looked to the rocks he was referring to, and she was about to agree when she felt the salve starting to take full effect on her legs. They felt heavy and weak…

' _Dam… I can't jump anymore… I can barely stand…'_ She looked up at Aiden with sad, determined and loving eyes _'I need to save him… he can't die… sigh… I hope he won't hate me for this…'_

"Umm… change of plans. I will throw you to the shore and I'll be right behind you." She said as she grabbed his left arm and a fistful of the clothing on his shoulder, not wanting to give him a chance to question her. Luckily, he was wearing his uniform so she knew it wouldn't rip when she threw him.

"Wait, this doesn't-"

The loud roar of water indicated they were mere moments from going off the fall's edge.

"No time! Brace yourself!" Cari yelled as she slightly lifted him, she bit her lip to stifle a scream as pain shot from her bruised ribs at the sudden action and his added weight. She quickly took a deep breath and with sheer will-power, she forced all the strength she could muster out of her numbing and pain filled body to swing him around and throw him to the shore.

Once she released her grip on him, her legs fully gave out from under her. With trembling numb arms she gripped her pained ribs as she watched Aiden flip and roll as he landed safely on shore.

He recovered to his feet quickly and looked back to her. They locked eyes as she heard the falls right behind her and felt the debris beneath her break away.

Cari smiled genuinely at her younger brother, who was now scrambling after her, calling out her name.

"I'm sorry, Aiden." She said mostly to herself as she felt the remaining floating debris teeter off the edge of the falls. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the confusion, hurt, and betrayal she saw in his watering blue eyes as she was swept away by the towering river and pushed over the raging waterfall.

' _I'm so glad we saved everyone… I'm so glad you're safe. I'm sorry...'_

* * *

 **Disclaimer : Do not own Winx Club **

**A/N : Hello Everyone, **

**Sorry, it has taken me longer than planned to update, but a lot has been going on recently that made it very hard for me to write. (You can skip to the end if you don't want to hear/read me rant...)**

 **One of my subordinates at work quit because she was scheduled to do the night shift (11:30-8) ONLY 2 days of the week opposed to** EVERYDAY **as I originally had her. She wanted the mid-day shift (10-6) every day. Since I had no one to cover her hours I told her** no, **until I could find someone. In a rage, she quit with an extremely rude and insulting letter and saying that I was taking time away from bonding with her kids and that she was the only one sacrificing A LOT to work the night shift. I'm sorry but I know that is BS, I am sacrificing my personal time to cover three days of the week for her, just because I'm not married or have kids she thinks my personal time is nothing compared to hers. And she is not the only one who did not get their desired schedule, but she still demanded to get special treatment. Anyway, I had to do her job as well as mine which was _a lot_. Good/bad thing (still debating): she came back, a week later, begging for her job back... since I'm going to school full time and have limited time to train someone new I accepted her back with conditions: one month probation to improve her attitude and anger issues, a demotion, and only 1 week paid vacation this year (Normally she gets 2 wks). So far she seems to be doing better but I do not think I want to keep her... apparently she doesn't really care about 'bonding with her kids' as she lead everyone to believe since even though she gets to leave at 6 she brags about how she doesn't need to pick up her kids til 8 and even offers/** begs **to stay until 8 most days... Her evaluation is coming up, so we will see how she does with the higher ups... Moral: Please don't make rash and angered decisions... not every boss is as patient and willing to give second chances as me... and if you do ever quit in a sudden rage you technically have 2 days to retract your decision, but your boss will still have the final say as to whether to accept you back or not.**

 **Other than that... my uncle has been in the hospital and has been very ill these last couple of weeks. Seems he has a rare blood disease and liver problems. He is doing a little better now but I would appreciate keeping him in your prayers.**

 **Anyway, I am halfway done with the next chapter so I do plan to post again soon.**

 **Thank you for reading! You all are AMAZING!**

 **Xoxo**

 **-P. Yukiko**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club_**

 ** _A/N: Hello,_**

 ** _I'm pretty glad that I'm posting this chapter pretty quickly... hopefully, I get motivated enough to finish the next chapter soon. *cross fingers*_**

 ** _Anyway a couple of things about this chapter... there will be more than 1 POV. If there is no *note* then it is Cari's POV, other than that it will be noted right after the page break. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up._**

 ** _A special thanks to Skylar for your continued support, you are so great! XD_**

 ** _And thank you to all of you taking the time to read my story!_**

 ** _Now please enjoy... ;-)_**

* * *

Chapter 7

' _Where am I? What happened?'_

Nothing but darkness and silence surrounded her.

Then a laugh started … drowning out the silence.

"Why, lookie who we have here. If it isn't Calida Cari… looks like we finally meet… well _officially_ at least."

"Who's there?" Cari slowly turned trying to find the source of the strange voice. There she noticed a dim light softly glowing.

A few feet away a figure was lounging on a couch on the far side of a large room… no… a large cage? …a large caged room? It was too dark to pick up the details, but a silhouette was clearly visible.

' _Gasp'_ "Now, where are the manners that lizard forced on me?" The being said with pure sarcasm before quickly standing up to give a slight curtsy. "I'm Masina. I'm sure Akira has told you _nothing_ about me."

"You know Akira?"

 _Scoff_ "Unfortunately. She's the reason I'm still in here. But don't worry she _hasn't_ been a very good host as I'm sure you can see." She said as arms waved around her, indicating to the caged room.

"I-I don't understand… where is ' _here'_ anyway? It feels… familiar." Cari was feeling the full effects of the salve, her head felt foggy and her limbs numb.

 _Scoff_ "It _should_ feel familiar. We're within _your_ subconscious after all. Did you hit your head during your little rescue mission?" Masina said as she flopped back down, casually leaning against the arm rest.

' _My subconscious? Rescue mission…?_ ' Slowly Cari raised a hand to her head trying to think back … Until it hit her…

"Wait… I remember… the boat was falling apart… Aiden was in danger… my powers weakened, but I went to him… the river was rushing towards us… I threw Aiden to the shore… then the waterfall… Aiden was sad… _gasp_ … is he ok? Is he safe?" Cari tried to stand up just for her numb legs to give out from underneath her.

At the sudden action, she winced at the sharp pain from her bruised ribs… they didn't hurt as much as she expected but that could've been because the salve was numbing her senses.

Realizing she could barely move let alone stand, she began thinking of a way to find out if her brother was safe. She worried that the rushing water had dragged him with her over the falls.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she turned to stare at the laughing figure.

"You _can't_ be serious! You went over a _deadly_ waterfall! _Without_ active powers!" Masina said between laughing. "Shouldn't you be asking ' _Am I dead_?' or ' _did I survive?_ '." She teased in a mocking high pitched voice, before continuing in her normal tone. "But no, _your_ first thought is of your little brother? You're such an unusual pup!"

Before Cari could remark, a bright light appeared behind her. Turning, she saw a red and purple orb surrounding a pair of large beautiful wings, just within her reach.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Congratulations." Looking back, Cari arched a confused brow at Masina. "Your self-sacrifice unlocked the next seals." She said with bored disinterest.

Noticing that the light was illuminating the caged room slightly better, Cari was able to see some details from rude being: She was giving her a fanged grin, with glowing eyes, and a swaying… tail?

The odd being was giving her a malicious smile, Cari knew she should fear the being before her… but she couldn't make herself feel frightened… only curiosity and some nostalgia.

Even with so many questions forming, she had to ask the most important one: " _Seals_? Akira said only one would be unlocked at a time. Where is she anyway? I-I don't hear her." Cari turned towards the darkness to her right and called out for her inner dragon.

"Oops sorry~…" the figure started in a sweet voice, which quickly turned sour. "Akira can't come to help you. I won't let her."

"Won't let her? But no outside force can block off our connection…" psychically, she tried to reach out to Akira but nothing seemed to get through. She could sense her presence, but it was like a busy phone line. _'That has never happened before… what's going on…?'_ Cari wondered as she tried to remain calm.

"Hmm… well, your right about that. But then again… I'm no ' _outside'_ force." Masina shrugged "Now why don't you be a good little pup and accept your new wings already." She said in a calm tone.

"Wait, what?" With her head still hazy and her worry about Akira, Cari had forgotten about the wings behind her. Leaving her a bit confused with Masina's sudden topic change.

' _Sigh'_ "Your _wings_. Behind you. Touch them. _Now_."

"But… the seals… without Akira how will I…" She responded as she slowly recalled important facts.

"Look! Just do it!" Masina aggressively lunged towards her. Cari watched as clawed hands suddenly gripped the bars in amazing speeds, as the smile turned to a grimace, eyes burning.

Tense, Cari expected the being to shout, but instead was surprised to see her close her eyes and take a deep breath. When Masina opened her eyes again they were glowing calmly with a small smile on her lips as she spoke with a gentler tone.

"Look, aren't you worried about Aiden? Don't you want to see if your brother is safe? He might be in trouble this very second. I don't think you were able to throw him far enough away from the river's watery grip. He might need you to save him… while you are here _stalling_."

"But my body…" she tried to stand again, but her legs still refusing to work, arms felt like noodles, and ribs still ached, not to mention she couldn't summon any magic.

"Accept your new wings and you will be able to see your brother again. Don't stress about the small stuff." Masina still saw the doubt in Cari's eyes so she continued. "I thought you _loved_ your brother, I thought you cared about your familiar, what about those soldiers? Or civilians?…they could be in danger, and you're not there to help them… Don't you _want_ to protect your pack?"

Cari's eyes slightly widen. _'They might be in danger… I need to know they're safe… but without Akira… will I be able to control_ two _unlocked seals?…'_ As if reading her mind shadowed being answered her silent question.

"You are a strong pup, you'll be fine. Be the alpha you claim to be, didn't you promise to always protect them?" She paused and waited until Cari nodded. "Then step up, protect your pack, protect your family! Or did you _want_ to leave them in harm's way?"

Determination blinked away the doubt. "No! I will never leave them! I will _always_ protect them!" Cari turned and faced the wings- ignoring the nagging warning in the back of her mind, and not noticing the gleeful and triumphant smile from the mysterious being behind her- she reached out and touched the wings.

Light exploded and chased the darkness away.

Cari was relieved when she felt her magic flowing within her once more, as the new transformation wrapped around her… but then she felt the seals burst open.

Her relief quickly turned to slight panic as she quickly wrapped her arms around herself, in a subconscious attempted to contain the surge of power from overwhelming her.

She looked down when she heard laughter ringing out and saw the cage crumble away. Cari's eyes widened in realization… the second seal was Masina's caged room.

Masina stood there, laughing triumphantly. Now that the room was completely lit up Cari was able to see Masina clearly for the first time:

She had a soft but fierce face; her fangs were shining brightly in the light as she laughed. She had two long strands of hair in front, while the rest was cut short. Her dark blue hair was layered in a wild spiky style. A crescent moon ornament with elegant dangling stars was pinned on the left side of her head, and a single light purple streak glowed on the right. She wore a fitted dark blue and light purple dress that fell to her ankles, but the front skirt was jaggedly cut short to her upper thighs, to expose the blue shin-length leggings underneath. The top was cut to expose her upper chest and shoulders, with 3/4th fitted sleeves that cut open and away from her arms to drape slightly past the back of her hands. Thick red armor only covered her upper chest; it had a sharp mandarin collar that protected her neck. Thinner and looser open-front armor protected her back and hips. Her red armor, ankle boots, and sword that hung off her hip slightly glittered with a magical shine making her look pretty yet dangerous.

The armor was obviously designed to be flexible and light for speed and precision. To be able to fight without any restrictions, while giving the illusion that the wearer had many openings… at least that's what it would probably look like to most. But to highly trained eyes… it hinted at how fast and powerful her magical and physical capabilities were.

Cari was confident that Masina was highly skilled in close combat just based on her claws alone… she was sure they were not just for show. But what surprised Cari the most were the details on the dress below the armor.

The majority of the dress was dark blue, but from her knees down as well as the ends of her sleeves faded into light purple. The embroidery on her sleeves showed gentle outline of silver spirals, like a wind gently blowing. While the embroidery on the bottom of her dress showed the outline of a wolf pack running. Stars and wind spirals dancing above and around them. Though, the main focus was a large wolf's face on her front right thigh. The wolf's right eye was purple, while the left had a dark blue eye. Even though it seemed to have a fierce and frightening expression, its eyes gave off a mischievous and protectiveness feel.

' _The detail work reminds me of Akira's outfit when she's in her true form…'_

Masina's laughter slowed as she gave Cari a wide grin, her dark blue eyes shining brightly, and her tail swaying happily back and forth behind her.

Dazed in her efforts to calm the unlocking seals Cari began to feel the tug back to the waking world; she shut her eyes tight in an attempt to keep her new power under some control before awakening to where the real battle for dominance would begin.

"Thanks for freeing me. Now no one will stop me from running wild and free. O, and you should know…" Cari forced her eyes open to be greeted by Masina's smug smile. "Akira was half right in keeping me locked up. She knew I'm too wild for a master to ever tame. A pity she didn't warn you though if you just had rejected your wings the universe would've been safe from my games."

She laughed as she tried to step out of the room, but paused when she felt a force keeping her back. Her smile turned into a scowl and glared at Cari.

"I… won't… let you… go." The fairy said between clenched teeth. She held firm onto supporting the barrier she erected around Masina. Cari used all her training and will power to keep Masina from escaping and the Enchantix powers from going haywire. Without Akira, it was proving to be more difficult than she imagined as her grip slowly began slipping. But she a small part of her was happily surprised that she was able to do so much on her own.

"Hmm… interesting. Enchantix seems to be helping you. Humph…Doesn't matter, you're _not_ my master, you can't _tame_ me. I can see you slipping. I waited all our lives for my freedom… I can wait a few more minutes." That smug grin made Cari's determination grow, pushing away the pull to wakefulness. "If I were you, I would focus more on that other seal instead of _me_. All that raw power bursting out is bound to hurt those close to you in the physical world. And without your pendant to help regulate it… well, I'm sure you remember what happened _last time_ …" Cari's eyes widen in realization and fear. The pull grew stronger. "Run along now, pup. If you are awake you have a better chance at not fatally hurting anyone… Or stay, keep me leashed here; I'm sure at least _one_ member of your pack will survive your power surges." Masina shrugged before casually crossing her arms.

Silence and tension filled the space between them. Both waited, willing the other to yield… Until a voice cut through the silence.

"CARI!" _'Aiden?'_ "Go search for her! We need to find her! Find my sister!"

His voice echoed from the physical world. His pained cried made her want to rush to comfort him, assure him she was fine, and make sure he was unharmed himself.

With that thought she allowed the pull to sweep her away.

Only focused on Aiden, Cari didn't look back… even at Masina's parting words.

"Goooddd Luckkk~! _Try_ not to destroy your pack!"

* * *

 _*Akira/Masina POV*_

"Cari!? Cari?! Where are you?!" Akira frantically searched the falls looking for her fairy guardian. Their telepathic connection was blocked; she was slightly expecting this when she found out Cari sacrificed her life for the Aiden's.

' _Enchantix is a very pure and selfless power and it's not surprising that it would block me out momentarily. If anything, Cari accidentally did it in her shock, she should open it again soon… I can still sense her…she's alive… I just can't pinpoint where...'_

Slight panic rose in her when she felt the Enchantix seal breaking. _'Alright, everything is fine… she will be fine on her own… This seal should be easier than the ones before. Enchantix is different than the others...'_

Her heart sank when she felt another seal start to crumble… a seal that shouldn't be releasing.

' _No, nonono. This cannot be… that_ mutt _is breaking free!'_ Realization hit Akira in that moment _. '_ She _was the one blocking me out!... I should have realized sooner…dam… Cari is not ready yet… I must find her! I need to stop her!'_

Her search became more frantic, trying to spot red hair, hoping she was not too late.

Akira froze when she felt a pulse of power just below her. Looking down slightly she saw a bright red and purple orb coming out of the falling water and float up to hover slightly above the fall's edge.

The small purple bird at first sighed in relief to see Cari inside the orb already in her Enchantix transformation. But panic took center stage again when she felt Masina's power growing.

Releasing her bird form, Akira flew straight at Cari, returning to the fairy's subconscious. Fearing what she might find…

"Hey, Rara, you're late to the party." The dragon hid her mouth behind her fan and tried to keep her tone neutral. She didn't want to show that the trembling room or the lack of bars was bothering her in any way.

"I would have been here earlier if you hadn't _locked_ the door." Keeping her feet steady as the trembles became stronger.

"Aww… don't be upset. I thought you would be happy to see me without that cage in the way." Masina tried to take a step forward but was stopped by the still present barrier.

The fan still hiding her face, Akira grinned. "I am happier to see a different cage is keeping you in your place."

 _Scoff_ "You know as well as I do that your guardian can't hold me _and_ force full control of Enchantix at the same time. She _will_ let one of us go and I can tell you now… it _won't_ be the latter."

Before Akira could reply, they were both shocked when the trembling suddenly slowed dramatically and stabilized, dying down to light rumbles. Confusion written on both of their faces.

' _How? Did Cari merge with the unsealed power already?…no… I still feel it flowing loose…then what has caused this pause?'_ Akira pondered.

Turning she waved her fan to the wall behind her. A large screen appeared and showed the physical world as Cari saw it. She was happily hugging her brother.

 _Grrrrrr_

The young dragon looked back raising her fan to hide her smug smile once again, knowing Masina was feeling the peace and relief Cari was experiencing just by being close to Aiden. "Problem mutt? Seems her beloved brother has calmed the storm within her."

Akira's smile faded at the laughter and wagging tail.

"O you always _do_ love looking at the 'bright side'. But you know as well as I do that once her brother lets's go of her hand, the dam will break…" Masina smirked at the worry and panic that flashed in the dragon's eyes and decided to push her even further. "You know, sis, I wasn't kidding …"

"And what, pray tell, are you talking about now mutt?"

The dark haired girl just snickered "I wasn't kidding about fighting you…" Akira narrowed her eyes as Masina continued. "Now that I have my freedom I will destroy any _thing_ or any _one_ that wants to keep me from it, and since you're the only one foolish enough to get in my way… looks like I'll be getting my revenge at the same time! Prepare yourself Rara! We _will_ find out which is stronger! The Wind orFire…"

* * *

"Cari?"

She opened her eyes at the familiar voice filled with shuddering relief.

"Aiden…" She still felt the power thrashing almost uncontrollably within her, trying to break free, but she couldn't stop herself from floating down to her brother's open arms.

' _He's ok. He's safe… and Akira is back… I can feel her in me now… She will help … now I just need to send him away with the others.'_

She sighed in relief as soon as she felt Aiden's arms wrap around her, she felt the thrashing power calm enough not to be a danger… for now.

After a short moment, they stepped away but refusing to release contact with each other. His hand gripped hers tightly, as though she would fade away if he let go.

Reaching up Cari ruffled his hair affectionately, but paused slightly when she felt him stiffen under her hand. _'Uh oh…'_

Lowering her hand, she tried hard not to flinch when his blue eyes no longer held the relief and happiness they had just seconds before, they were replaced by anger.

"Cariii…" he breathed out through a forced smile.

"Umm… yes?" she squeaked, only slightly relieved that he hadn't let go of her hand yet. But that could be his way of making sure she wouldn't escape his wrath.

"What were you _thinking_?!"

"Umm… that you… needed to get to safety…?" She replied rubbing the back of her head, uncomfortable being under his heated glare.

" _My_ safety?! _You're_ heir to the throne! You could've _died_. I can't believe you were so reckless. My plan could've worked..." She blinked back her tears as she heard his stern tone fade into a pained voice. He looked down, hiding his eyes. She could tell he was trying to stop his trembling body. "We could've fought _together_. But no… you _left_ me behind… You _lied_ to me…we could've lost you… I-"

He stopped and looked up when she reached up and ruffled his hair again, but this time it was a gentle and comforting gesture.

"Hey, you can't get rid of me that easily. Besides, just because I will take the throne one day doesn't mean you are any less important… _Sigh.._. I knew it would've been harder to fight against the rushing water together… we wouldn't have been able to focus if we were _both_ worrying about each other; one had to be completely safe… and because of my intense training and powers, there was a slightly higher chance that I would've survived the falls than you…so I took it … though regardless I would've ensured your safety first… I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt or _worse_ …when I could've prevented it."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Cari. You don't need to worry so much about me anymore. You need to think more with your head instead of your heart. Your safety takes priority too."

Cari just smiled and shook her head. "Nope, not going to happen. You're my little brother I will _always_ worry about you, even when I become Queen. I will always make sure that you and our people are safe, first and foremost. I will always protect you; I will always protect everyone… regardless of the consequences."

Aiden groaned in defeat. "You couldn't at least _try_ to tell me otherwise…" he grumbled

"You know I couldn't lie to you… at least not with a straight face." She giggled

' _Scoff'_ "You just lied a few minutes ago."

"Technically, I didn't _lie_ … " she said innocently

"O really?" Aiden said sarcastically "This will be good… alright, come on let's hear it. How was it _not_ a lie?" He rolled his eyes as they turned to walk to the passengers they rescued, hand in hand.

"Well, the plan _did_ change…" she started

"Into a crazy one…" he interrupted. She glared at him but kept going.

"And I _did_ throw you…"

"I wasn't prepared. I could've broken something or hit my head on a rock." He replied

Cari rolled her eyes and ignored the slight dizzy spell it gave her. "I gave you _plenty_ warning…"

"Yelling 'brace yourself' _as_ you throw people is not giving ' _plenty_ warning'"

"You're different… I knew you would cushion your own landing." She hoped he didn't notice her steps getting heavier or her trembling wings.

"Uh huh. Fine, but you still lied about the 'right behind you' part." He glanced at her through the corner of his eye.

"Technically… I _was_ behind you. I just didn't specify _how_ 'behind you' I was going to be. Not my fault you assumed it was behind you on the shore." She smiled innocently, while batting her lashes. In response: he just narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.

She squeezed his hand in an attempt to keep down the storm within her; the more time passed the more she felt her raging powers chipping away at her defenses. She didn't have much time left before it burst through, but she needed to get everyone away from this area, away from her. _Without_ causing a panic. _'I don't want them to be afraid of me…'_

Internally she breathed a sigh of relief when the anger in his eyes died down and just shook his head. _'He must've thought that was an apology…'_

"What am I going to do with you?" He asked defeated

"Thank me with a ton of ice cream and attention later!" she exclaimed with a smile.

"Better yet!" He paused before giving her a bright yet mischievous smile. "I'll tell _Rosie_ what you did today. I'm sure she will be happy to hear about your little stunt."

Cari's face paled and not just at the thought of Rosie finding out. "You _wouldn't.._." She gritted trying to hide her heavy breathing.

"O I would… you shouldn't be surprised."

Cari was grateful that he hasn't noticed anything wrong with her yet. But she felt her exhaustion slowly getting to her… ' _Just a little farther… we are almost to the Panthers… Aiden won't willingly go through the portal but the royal guards will have no choice but to follow_ my _direct orders…but he might give them trouble, and I can't have the guards around either… maybe…'_

"I'm _surprised_ you didn't call Mama." Cari said, hoping he did. _'Mama will make sure the civilians and soldiers are safe, Aiden will be forced to go with them, and she will help me with the unlocked seals.'_

"O I did." He practically sang his delight at the thought of his sister getting scolded for her actions "She should be arriving any minute now. I wonder what she is going to say…"

Before Cari could respond a small voice called out to them.

"Pince! Pincess!" Turning to the voice, they saw it was the child they had saved from the destroyed boat. He was waving at them from his mother's protective arms. Cari smiled, happy that he didn't look too shaken up about being roughly thrown around before. He wiggled out of his mother's arms and started to run the short distance towards them. "Tank you for sabin me!"

Watching his big smile and little flowers gripped tightly in his little hand, warmed her heart, so much so that for a short moment she forgot about her internal battle.

In that moment everything was fine, peaceful even… but in a matter of seconds, everything came undone. To Cari, time seemed to have slowed down as she watched her moment of peace slip away... As the seconds ticked by slowly, unable to stop anything that happened before her…

tick… she was holding her brother's hand, happy, smiling… tick… the running child tripped… tick… Aiden stepped forward to catch him… tick… his hand let go… tick… the power burst free… tick… screams…tick… frightened and shocked eyes… tick… her wings took her back to the edge of waterfall…tick … struggled to hold in the power surge from hurting anyone… tick… flew as high as she could … tick… the fight for control began…

' _Akira! What do I do? I can't hold both! Akira?!_ ' it was proving to be too difficult in merging with Enchantix's raw power _and_ keeping Masina trapped at the same time. It didn't help that they were both fighting for some freedom or that she still couldn't hear Akira.

' _Where's Mama? If she can protect them I can release a little bit…_ ' at the corner of her eye, she saw a portal opening, and a familiar fairy flying quickly towards her.

"Cari?!"

"Mama! H-help…!" Bloom flew closer to her daughter. Cari shook her head avoiding her touch. "T-them!" She shakily pointed to everyone on the shore.

Bloom nodded and dropped back down as fast as she could.

Cari shut her eyes tight and tried to focus, taking deep easy breaths. She didn't want anyone to get hurt, using all her willpower she kept the lid forced down on the power surges trying to break out of her.

In her focus, she almost forgot about Masina, but thankfully her annoying laughter ringing in Cari's ears reminded her again.

' _I won't let you go… you were locked away for a reason… I can't let you go free…'_

' _Ha! You think_ you _can tame_ me _?! I don't think so! You're still a pup. Just give up already! The longer you hold me here the higher chance you will hurt your pack. Right now your unlocked raw power is the danger. You can't hold us both… Choose pup! Locking me up or hurting your family…?'_

' _I – can't- Akira_ …?' tears fell, trying to calm two different storms at once was too hard, but she still couldn't give up.

'… _Cari_ …' slight relief blossomed in the fairy.

' _Akira! Akira what do I do? Can you help me?'_

'… _I am… unable to assist this time… she has interrupted our bond … if I were to control one it can swirl beyond comprehension later… we must be fully connected to merge properly…'_

'… _then… what do I do?'_

'…'

' _Akira?! Please!'_

' _Sigh…You must choose one…focus on controlling one… allow what may to the other…'_

' _But_ which _one?'_

' _Make your choice Cari… I cannot make it for you…'_

"-ri! Cari! Can you hear me?!"

"M-mama?" weakly Cari opened her eyes to see Bloom close by. "Are they-"

"They took portals back to the castle. Just you and me now." Bloom's confident blue eyes gave Cari the courage she needed to make her decision.

"S-something… trying to b-break… out. C-can you… k-keep… contained… t-til m-merge…?" It was hard to talk, but she was relieved when her mother nodded in understanding. A large and thick barrier appeared around Cari, relieved that now she had a fighting chance.

' _You think that barrier will keep me in?! She's not strong enough!'_

' _Mama is the strongest fairy in the universe! And I believe in her!_ ' Cari said as she released her hold on Masina's barrier and focused all her energy into merging with the immense power that came with Enchantix.

Even though Cari felt the mysterious being explode free and begin to jump around trying to find a way out, she ignored it. She relaxed as she dipped into the overflowing raw power. She could feel the strong emotion that gained her Enchantix…

The overwhelming fear of someone you love in danger, the growing panic that you will not rescue them in time as you push yourself to save them, the shock at the sight of the fatal danger mere seconds away as you make a split second decision, the indifference as you ignore the consequences you will face, and the relief that washes over you once they were safe.

She accepted everything Enchantix was and could be, unafraid of its powers currently damaging potential, and embraced it wholeheartedly.

* * *

 _*Bloom's POV*_

Even though violent energy pulses were emitting from Cari, Bloom tried to ignore them, even though they were pushing her back.

To a weak fairy or even to someone who had no magical capabilities these strong magical pulses could do more damage than good, it was slight relief that they didn't seem as strong as times before, but that is most likely due to the healing capabilities of Enchantix.

Since everyone was safe at the castle and she didn't sense anyone in the direct area… Bloom completely focused on supporting the barrier around her daughter as the dark blue shadow violently bounced around within.

Bloom was relieved as a peaceful smile grew on Cari's face. She was merging with her new powers; it wouldn't take very long now.

But her relief was short-lived when the blue shadow grew more desperate in its attempts to escape. Her barrier was beginning to strain.

"Glaedr, what is _that_?" Bloom asked her dragon partner.

"That is the second half of Calida Cari's power, as you recall we simply regarded it as the 'yang'. And it was not meant to be released like this." He responded, slight concern in his voice.

" _That_ is Akira's other half? Are you sure? It's so strong! How were you able to seal it before? Can you do it again?"

"It was easier to seal it when she was newly formed and unaware. I may have given them form but they have grown too strong for me to interfere without causing them irreversible damage, both physical and mental. And unfortunately, I see that Akira did not heed my warnings." The ancient dragon responded as another pulse of violent power was released, pushing Bloom back some.

"What warning? That she hadn't told Cari yet?" Bloom asked. She felt the ancient dragon's silent question at her correct answer. "I raised them I can tell when they are keeping secrets from each other." She shrugged. "Besides if Cari knew she would've released 'yang' by now." Looking back at the blue shadow another concern crossed her mind. "Wouldn't it be bad if they were separated? Won't it hurt them? Hurt Cari? Akira mentioned that it was impossible for them to separate at first."

"No, they should be fine… for a while at least. Since Akira has been the main one active, Cari will not feel much of a difference for now; she will feel more like something is missing, an emptiness she can't explain." Bloom slightly sighed in relief as Glaedr continued. "I am currently more concerned for Yang. Without something or someone to act as an anchor or without a master to pledge loyalty to, she could wreak havoc on the worlds before fading away. And since she and Akira are connected… Ying will fade away as well, for one cannot exist without the other."

"What does that mean for Cari?... If they disappear?"

"That is difficult to say. It could result in either losing her powers and living life void of magic… or she will return to what she once was… Most probable… the latter." Glaedr said with no hint of emotion.

"But isn't that just a ball of pure magic and energy?" Bloom asked concerned

"Yes, once she reverts back to that former state of being she will naturally merge with my powers. As it was supposed to be if certain circumstances hadn't interfered… at that point… Calida Cari will cease to exist."

"No! I can't let that happen! I won't!" Bloom exclaimed as she forced more power into her barrier, making it stronger.

"There is not much you can do, guardian. Their fates are up to them to discover… They must find their balance, whether it be in harmony or disorder… it is up for them to decide."

"Can't we do anything to help?" A silent tear escaped her blue eyes.

"We can only assist when we can, and hope for the best."

"But-" she started as the shadow's attempts grew stronger and more erratic.

"Do not fret, Bloom. You have raised them well. Have faith they will find what they need."

Reluctantly, she nodded. But her concern grew when she suddenly felt Cari's power surges grow immensely stronger and increase in number. The pulses that were released were barely contained in Bloom's barrier, and the power that broke through began burning the trees below.

"Dam at this rate a wildfire will break out…and there is a town a few miles from here… any ideas Glaedr?" Bloom asked

"This will prove difficult since you are both of the same power source…"

"Well, considering you are the _original_ power source I would think _you_ can do something…"

"That may be true but her's has been… mutated… in a way that could be challenging for me to assist without causing her significant damage."

"What do you mean?"

"Since two seals have been unlocked, both have released their powers at the same time. She is currently focusing on the merging with Enchantix, allowing Yang to run rampage. Yang is now releasing large bursts of her power to mix with Enchantix's power, resulting in the surge's increase in strength and numbers. Cari's excess power needs to be siphoned. And considering our time restraint..." He glanced down at the multiple fires below them and the increasing surges. "…a large portion needs to be drained at once to prevent any more damage."

"How will you draining extra power cause damage?" Bloom asked as she focused on keeping the barrier up while putting out the growing fires below.

"Siphoning from _you_ would be immensely easier because your powers are completely from mine. While Cari's has been mixed, it is not purely from my flame anymore, though it is a majority. I would have to take carefully so not to cause her any shock; for that could result in breaking the incomplete bond she has created with Enchantix so far. Not to mention if I try Yang will know it is I and will increase her attempts to ruin our plans. Preferably we need another way to drain the excess power."

"Like what?!"

"Perhaps someone who she completely trusts or something that can easily drain away fairy magic… would suffice…"

"Like we would have somet _hing_ like _that_ lying around. Besides wouldn't that affect my barrier at the same time? But as for the some _one_ … can I do it?"

Before Glaedr could answer they were both shocked when Akira suddenly appeared within the barrier and quickly reached for Cari's hair clip. They watched speechless, as she held the clip in one hand and then wave her other hand over it.

The dragon that circled and grasped the blade in its claws unwrapped itself and released the blade. Once free the blade reverted back to its original size. Akira held the elegantly decorated sheathed tanto blade and pulled the black blade free.

She gasped as she ran the dark blade across her hand. The blade was quick to eat up the dragon's blood that pooled in her hand as well as the power it was linked to. It was shocking to see the magic within Bloom's barrier flowing into the dark tanto blade so easily.

Though they were all thankful the wild pulses grew weaker with each passing second, but unfortunately so did Bloom's barrier.

Before anything else could be said or done, the shadow used a final burst of power to shatter the barrier. Laughter echoed in the sky as the barrier fell away.

Looking above Cari, Bloom saw a silhouette of a young girl. She seemed to have some kind of armor, a sword hanging off her hip, and… a tail?

Dark blue eyes glared down towards Bloom, but then focused her icy glare to Glaedr. "I'm stronger than I was back then! You won't be able to seal me away this time, ya old dried up lizard!" Yang exclaimed before turning to Akira who was sealing the blade away into the hair clip once more. "That was a stupid move, Rara! You were lucky this time, next time you might _not_ be!" She didn't give Akira a chance to respond before quickly disappearing.

Bloom stared at the spot where Yang once was. _'Please don't be too reckless little one…'_

"You should catch her." Glaedr said casually, startling Bloom out of her thoughts.

"What? Who?" She focused back to Cari, just in time to see her transformation fading away, the dimming glow giving them an indication that the merging was complete.

Bloom sighed in relief but quickly realized Cari was unconscious and falling.

Quickly catching her, Bloom held Cari close, then looked around. "Where's Akira?"

"She was dramatically weakened so she retreated back into Cari's subconscious to recover." Glaedr said calmly. "Hmm… Even with Akira's reckless actions, Cari successfully merged without assistance. And I don't sense any abnormalities with Enchantix. She will present no negative side effects. Impressive." Glaedr praised giving Bloom the relief she needed to hear.

Brushing away stray hairs she kissed her daughter's forehead. "You did well Cari, now let's go home…" Bloom opened the portal back to the castle but took one last glance back hoping to see Yang close by before flying through the portal. "I hope you find a way to calm Yang soon, sweetie… and hopefully, you won't be _too_ mad at ying when you wake…"

* * *

The sun shone brightly through her windows. Forcing her to wake from her peaceful sleep.

"Ughhh… I forgot to close the shades again." The young fairy mumbled as she turned to her stomach and hid her face in her soft pillows.

She was starting to fall back asleep when she heard her door open. She repressed the urge to groan in hopes the intruder will leave.

"Cari?"

' _Aiden? He never comes to wake me up…'_ She was tempted to lift her head and ask why he was in her room so early,but her exhaustion won over her curiosity _'If I pretend to be asleep he might go away…'_

"Cari are you awake?"

"…"

"Ok, I'm pretty sure you're awake. I can see your feet twitching under the covers… Can you please say something?" he sounded frustrated and… worried?

"…"

She felt her bed dip and knew he had sat down beside her. Annoyed, she was about to shove him off… _'It's the weekend, no school… I just want to sleep in for once!'_

Just when she was about to throw a magically hardened pillow and threaten to burn his perfect strawberry blond hair for not letting her sleep, she froze when he gently pat her head a couple times.

' _He hasn't pat me like that in years…'_

"Please, Cari. Please wake up…"

' _Why does he sound like he's in pain? Is he hurt?'_ She turned her head and looked up when his hand left her head. His eyes were staring out the window, he looked… sad?... Why?

She raised her hand and softly ran her fingers through his hair. His eyes widened in shock when she touched him, his eyes immediately found her's.

"Aiden, what's wrong? Why are you so sad? Did you have a nightmare?" Cari asked softly.

She yelped in surprise when he suddenly pulled her into a strong hug and forcing her completely awake now. "What? Aiden what's wrong with you? What's going on? Are you ok?" She asked rushed. The way she had been laying made their hug a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but shock and concern kept her from pushing him away.

"I'm just glad you're ok. Mom said you would be… but you didn't wake up. You just slept all day. They said that it was because you were mentally and physically tired from the salve and the merging… but I was still worried." He took a deep, slightly shuddering, breath before talking again. "I went to protect _you_ and you ended up protecting _me_. It would've been my fault if you got hurt or _worse_. What would I have done if I lost you? Why were you so reckless? Why didn't you tell me two seals unlocked at the same time? Why did you scare me so much? Why Cari? Why?" It pained her to hear him so lost and sad, but she couldn't do or say anything after his confusing rant.

She took a moment to think back. And soon enough the memories returned in a rush.

' _Did I fix both seals? Is Masina sealed again? I need to talk to Akira…_ ' she was going to immediately push her brother back to mediate and communicate with her partner, but when Aiden tightened his hug around her, she stopped.

She felt his body trembling; it broke her heart to see him this way. All she wanted to do now was comfort him; she will deal with her problems and questions later.

Readjusting her position, she pulled her legs under her so she could kneel by him and properly hug him back.

She wrapped an arm under his arm, a reached her other hand up to pat his golden-red hair. "I'm sorry I scared you. It's ok. I'm fine now. Everything worked out. We saved everyone and I got my Enchantix. Can you forgive me? Don't be sad or mad… please?"

He slightly leaned back and locked eyes with her. They weren't so sad anymore and relief shined in his blue eyes. She smiled an understanding smile. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Panic rose in her stomach when he reopened his eyes though… there was no longer any hint of the sadness or relief she saw just a moment before, only anger burning bright. Gulping she braced herself for his wrath.

"I am so BEYOND just _MAD_ , Cari! You have no _IDEA_ what I went through! You do this every damn time! You never think about how the rest of us will feel if you never make it back! Do you know how close I was to jumping after you when I saw you go over those falls?! I thought I would never see you again! What is the point of training to be a Specialist to learn how to protect you better when you go _jumping_ off damn thousand foot waterfalls?! Not to mention your powers going crazy when _two_ seals were released! They said you were fine, but you have been unconscious for over 24 hours! And you used that cursed fairy blade! I'm pretty sure that's _not_ fine by any standard! At first I thought it was pretty smart to use that blade to weaken the surges, but then again you did use the wrong salve, and push yourself too hard _again_ , and force yourself to do _two_ impossible things at once, _AGAIN_! Did you think _anything_ through, yesterday? Like at all? Did you? Huh?" In his rant, he had grabbed onto her upper arms so she wouldn't run away. All she could do was awkwardly smile and hope he would calm down enough to she can go eat.

' _When was the last time I ate? …I think it was breakfast… wait yesterday? Oo crud no wonder he's so mad… I haven't been out that long in years… oops…'_

"I'm sorry Aiden." She said as she gave him a genuine smile. "I will try to do better. Will you forgive me? I'm ok now, I just needed some rest. I'm good now, nothing hurt or damaged. So no need to be mad anymore… right?" He continued to glare at her for another moment before pulling away.

"I will only forgive you under one condition…" gulping she feared what it will be…

"You will tell Rosie yourself that you broke your promise yesterday."

Cari's eyes widen in fear. ' _If_ _Rosie found out… I don't even want to think about it!..._ '

Aiden smiled at the panic in his sister's eyes. " _Or…_ you promise me to _always_ tell me in some way or form _and_ in as much detail as possible _whenever_ you are going to do one of your _crazy_ _and_ _reckless_ , so called, 'plans'."

Cari seriously considered which option would be more painful for her in the long run… Telling Rosie was just outright terrifying but she had a feeling that telling Aiden every plan she had might make things harder for her down the road. Honestly, most of her bigger and sudden life-saving plans were 'crazy and reckless' in some way or form… if she had to tell Aiden _every time_ she thought of one… how will she be able to react at a moment's notice? Maybe there could be a loophole in here somewhere…

She focused back on Aiden when she heard him sigh in an almost defeated manner. "I don't want to be blindsided by you again. If you tell me, then I might be able to help you or come up with a batter plan… I hate thinking you will be right beside me just for you to suddenly disappear … I, at least, want a warning so I can immediately start thinking of ways to go save you or give you back up, instead of having the rug violently pulled out from under me…"

Cari's eyes soften ' _he was really shaken up… oo I hope I don't regret this later…_ ' "Ok Aiden I promise to tell you in any way available, time allowing, when I get one of my brilliant yet crazy ideas." She held out her pinky to him. He slightly narrowed his eyes and grabbed her other hand in his to make sure she wasn't crossing her fingers behind her back, before winding his pinky around hers.

"I will be harder than Rosie if you break this promise Cari. I promise _you_ that."

Ignoring the chill that went down her spine she nodded and smiled, happy he wasn't upset anymore… and that she was finally able to get some food.

.

Together they spent the day relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Since she was still a tired they avoided any training or stressful activities. She was grateful that all her injuries from before had completely healed when she received her Enchantix, grateful she didn't have to hide her bruises anymore and go back to ACS once she was fully rested.

After a late brunch with their parents they walked around the gardens, had a quick picnic, and then relaxed in her room where Aiden gave Cari all the ice cream and attention she wanted as they binged watched their favorite anime movies.

She looked over to Aiden when she wanted to ask him to pass the next container of ice cream, but stopped when she noticed he was fast asleep.

' _He must've been up most of the night worrying about me_.' Cari quietly pulled a blanket to his chin, before brushing away stray hairs from his face.

"Mmm…Riri… don't go…" she froze when she heard him mumble in his sleep. She looked at him lovingly; he hadn't called used that nickname since they were kids.

"Don't worry Adey. I will _never_ leave you alone." She whispered before she leaned back and settled comfortably against the other side of the couch.

She let the movie continue to play as she closed her eyes and meditated.

Opening her eyes she found herself in her subconscious, Akira nervously waiting, looking towards the far end of the room, her sunrise designed fan covering her mouth.

"We have a lot to talk about Akira."

"… _sigh_ …Yes, we do…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Good morning Cari. Welcome back." Rosie greeted with a smile as Cari stepped through the portal back to their shared apartment from Eraklyon.

"Morning."

"What's up girl? You seem a bit down." Lea asked concerned as she slightly leaned against the dragon fairy.

Forcing a smile Cari responded as happily as she could. "Just a bit tired. O and guess what! I got my Enchantix over the weekend!"

"Congratulations Cari! That's wonderful!" Rosie exclaimed as the three friends embraced each other.

"Yea congrats! No wonder you're tired. It must've been hard to control. Enchantix is a pretty powerful level for a fairy." Lea commented with a gentle pat on Cari's head.

"Yea, it was a bit… _different_ this time around, but it turned out fine." Cari said with a hesitant smile.

"Are you sure you're alright Cari? You seem a bit more than tired." Rosie asked as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Yea, just a lot happened this weekend." She responded with a slight shrug as she plopped down on the sofa. "Saved a ship full of civilians, threw Aiden about 12 feet, fell off a waterfall, got Enchantix, 2 seals unlocked, slept a whole day, Aiden yelled at me, missed 3 days of training and worst of _all_ … I didn't get to finish my homework." Cari groaned while her two friends stared at her full of concern, surprise, and confusion.

"Umm… well…" Lea was the first one to partially recover. "at least it's all over now and it happened while you were home with your family close by." Lea said still processing the sudden info that was thrown at them.

"And we can help you with the homework you haven't finished yet." Rosie said with a smile, thinking she will have to ask Aiden for the details later.

"Really?! Thanks, guys!" Cari said brightening up as she pulled out her textbooks.

.

The rest of the day flowed mechanically for Cari: She went to class, took notes, answered questions when asked, and wore her emotional mask all day as her thoughts were a whirlwind of a mess inside.

After a long talk with Akira, Cari found out that her partner was keeping a _very_ _big_ secret from her.

She felt hurt, saddened, betrayed… she had always thought that they were completely honest with each other… that they kept no secrets from each other, especially big ones like this. Seems she was wrong…

* _Flashback_ *

"We have a lot to talk about Akira."

"…Yes, we do…"

Cari crossed her arms and waited for her inner dragon to start talking. She figured this was going to be a challenge for Akira to explain so she was willing to give her a moment longer to collect her thoughts.

As Cari waited she noticed the differences and similarities between Akira's and Masina's appearance.

Akira wears her waist length light purple hair in a half ponytail; two sections of said ponytail are delicately braided with a long red silk ribbon and arranged into a pretty bow. The single dark blue streak in her hair follows her ponytail on her left side. Long layered bangs framed her sweet elegant face. A stick hair ornament pierced through her half ponytail, it had three tiny bells hanging off the ornament's tassel giving gentle soft chimes when she walked. Her purple and blue v-neck floor length dress hugged her curves, with a long slit coming down from her left hip down the middle, easily opening the dress in front; giving her legs freedom of movement should she need it. The sleeves were long and fitted. They loosened and opened wide at her forearms before they draped over her hands, giving her the choice to hide her hands if desired.

Her armor was similar in color and design to Masina's, but the purpose of it seemed to be completely different. While Masina's was designed for close combat's speed and precision, Akira's was designed for long distance and defense. Her armor wrapped from her chest, down to her hips. It looked flexible for easy movement, but thick enough to withstand a good amount of blows. It was obvious she was not skilled in close combat like Masina; Akira's skills were in her magical long range abilities and defense. Cari couldn't help but notice how opposite their abilities were, but she saw the similarities in the embroidery.

The majority of the dress is purple, but from her shins down and the ends of her sleeves faded into a soft dark blue. The embroidery on her sleeves and lower part of her dress showed a gentle outline of red and orange flames. An outline of a large dragon was emerging from the flames on the left side of her skirt… it traveled up the skirt, wrapping around her waist before resting its head and a claw on her left shoulder, the other claw resting on her right shoulder. Interestingly enough, the dragon's left eye was purple, while the right was dark blue. But you were able to see the wisdom and joy radiating from them. Cari wondered why their outfits looked so similar to each other, with the same color schemes and similar embroidery patterns.

After realizing her mind wandered for far too long and Akira had yet to say a word… Cari decided to start:

"So, you mind telling me what _that_ was all about?" Akira hesitated at her guardian's question still avoiding eye contact. "Akira! Explain! _Now_! _Who's Masina_? Why was she sealed within me? What is your connection with her? Why didn't you tell me about her? She obviously knew about _me_! And _you_!" Cari exclaimed growing more frustrated with the increasing number of unanswered questions.

"… That is… difficult… to explain…" the dragon whispered barely loud enough for the fairy to hear.

"Well, I suggest you start _trying_!"

"It will be a long story… and you have school tomorrow…" Akira said, hoping to stall another day.

"Akira, Enough!" Taking a deep breath Cari rubbed her hands over her face in an attempt to calm down, before beginning in a calmer voice. "Please, Akira… I need to know what's going on. Masina said that the universe 'wasn't going to be safe from her anymore'. What does that mean?" Cari wrapped her arms around herself as her worries ran rampage within her. "Has… an evil being been locked up within me this whole time? Did I just release something dark into the world? Something like… Eldus? Something… like a curse?"

"No!" Cari looked up to see Akira placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "No, the seal did not release a curse or anything of the sort. Nothing like Eldus."

"Then what did it release…?" Cari asked at least slightly relieved.

Looking away, Akira slowly withdrew her hand and hooked it around her other arm, self-consciously. "Masina is… my… s-sister… my… twin sister…"

"Wait what?! H-how?" Cari stuttered, shocked.

Knowing she couldn't stall any longer in fears that Cari will come to another wild conclusion, Akira sighed heavily and began. "That mutt is my other half; as I am hers… we both are the inner manifestations of your powers. I am your inner dragon while she is your inner… wolf."

"Wait…Wolf? How? Bloom only had the Dragon Flame when she was cursed… how do I have an 'inner wolf'? Why didn't I know about her?"

 _Sigh_ "It will be easier to start at the beginning I suppose…" Akira waved her fan and two couches appeared for them to rest upon. Once comfortable she began the tale. "As you know, we were an _impossibility_ that was given life into this world, by the Sacred Dragon. When Bloom's power and Sky's pure energy were extracted and cleansed of the curse, we were intended to return to the source, to become one with Glaedr… but fate seemed to have a different story in mind for us." Akira locked eyes with Cari, giving her a cool and serious expression. "I'm sure you have some recollection of the journey that was taken as we traveled as a ball of pure energy, correct?" Cari nodded once, unsure about the significance. "Though you most likely recall a majority of the journey you might not recall picking up a… 'hitchhiker' as we traveled through Earth's forests before teleporting to Domino." Cari shook her head. "Well, that hitchhiker was Masina. She was a lingering power that was left behind and forgotten to Earth's olden days."

"A forgotten power? But the only magical creatures Earth has housed are the fairies of Tir Nan Og, right?" Cari asked.

"Fairies weren't the only magical creatures of Earth as I'm sure you know, think about the stories told to us on our last visit…" Akira hinted.

"Stories? You can't possibly mean those _scary_ stories that Selina told us… about vampires, zombies and… werewolves… but those are just myths, stories to tell at campfires and Halloween… right?" Cari asked slightly confused at Akira's serious expression.

"Every legend and myth stem from some form of truth. Take Selina's Legendarium, most of those stories were based off magical creatures that existed at one point were just lost to time or forgotten. Masina was just that, a magical creature's lingering spirit. She was a ghost, you could say, of the werewolves, existence forgotten… only remembered as a story to frighten children in the modern age." Cari couldn't help but feel some pity. "On our travel, we crossed paths, literally, and resulted in her merging with us: Glaedr's flame and your parent's love… while merged we were not able to become one with the source, as was meant to be.

"Glaedr was left with two options: 1) separate us, then destroy the foreign power or 2) give this unexpected ball of light, life and watch it grow. Obviously, he chose the latter… mainly because he was curious of this extremely powerful and unexpected ball of light.

"So he split it into three: The main body: the open-minded reasoning, the empathetic and passionate host, the fairy. The Flame: the calming power of patience and wisdom, the dragon. The wind: the wild power of loyalty and protection, the wolf.

"But when we were given life, Glaedr saw that it would be impossible for a fairy so young to control the incredible amount of raw power you harbored, let alone _two_ inner beings at once. He was forced to make choice… forced to seal one with a majority of your powers, until you were trained and ready. Since Masina was wild and obstreperous, it was obvious that you would need to be much stronger and prepared to be able to tame her. So she was sealed away, with me as her jailer. I was given the task of deciding when to free her.

"As time passed she grew impatient and frustrated. She saw that you grew stronger each and every day. When we were younger, I know she was excited to consider and test you as her Alpha, though she wouldn't show it. The time came where it was obvious that you were disciplined enough to take her test… But we were both hesitant… mainly me… I… didn't think you were ready yet."

"Why not? You accepted me, why would you think that Masina wouldn't? Was I not training enough?" Cari asked, to which Akira shook her head.

"It wasn't that you weren't training enough… It's just that… Masina is a very powerful force. It was different with me… I immediately accepted you as my guardian fairy, I had no doubts. There was no test for me to give you, I already pledged my loyalty to you as soon as I was aware. That was mainly because you were born of the Dragon Flame as I was, but Masina is different. She does share that bond that we have, not really… she is stuck in the ways of old, where loyalty is pretty much determined by who is the strongest… the Alpha.

 _Sigh_. "As more time passed, Masina's doubt of your capabilities grew to where she no longer thought of you as a possible candidate to be _her_ master, _her_ alpha. When I saw that, I knew that you had to become even stronger… especially since you didn't have your pendant… I didn't want to risk releasing her to the world in case you lost. I didn't want you to think she was evil for the trouble will cause…if you lost and she was freed…"

"Why would I think she's evil just because I might lose?" Cari asked

"Because you worked so hard in getting people to accept you for _who_ you are, and not _how_ you came to be… I didn't want Masina to ruin it all… If you lost and people blamed you for the trouble she causes you might resent her to point of hatred or even hate yourself… I didn't want to see that happen… I wanted to wait until I was sure you would win so you wouldn't go through any more heartache… Glaedr told me otherwise but I ignored his warnings… most of the time he just makes reckless gambles just allowing things to happen as they may… I didn't want to risk anything I wanted to be sure… but even then… everything I wanted to prevent happened…" Akira said looking away, ashamed.

At first, Cari wanted to scold Akira for thinking she could be so shallow… but she soon realized that Akira was just looking out for her… ' _To carry this heavy burden of keeping her own sister locked up… just to see me happy… she loves me so much.'_

Cari stood up and walked over to sit beside Akira, who flinched at Cari's unexpected action.

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to take this burden away from you sooner, Akira." The dragon abruptly faced the fairy, her purple eyes completely shocked.

"Why are you apologizing? You were not the one who made horrible decisions that will affect the whole magical dimension. You are not hated by your entire family now. You are not filled with so much regret and uncertainty. You haven't been lying to your partner this whole time…" Tears began to fall from Akira's eyes. Cari just reached over and held her close.

"Umm… I'm not sure if you recall my temporary alliance to the most dangerous and hated _dark sorcerer_ in the history of the magical universe… I'm pretty sure _that_ decision affected the whole magical dimension too." Cari said with slight humor. "And I know I felt the same way you are feeling now… I thought Mama, Papa, and everyone hated me after Eldus was cleansed… I did betray them after all, but I was wrong Mama, Papa, the Winx and the Specialists all treated me the same and loved me all the more. Sure not everyone forgave me at first, some _still_ think of me as a threat that should be dealt with, but they don't change what I think or do. As long as the ones who are truly important to me don't reject me, everyone else will come around sooner or later.

"Remember when I asked Mama how she could love me after I hurt them… how can she forgive me when I didn't even forgive myself… remember how confused she was when I asked her?" Akira nodded against Cari's shoulder. "Remember what she told me?

"'Mistakes are a part of life, some bigger than others… everyone makes them, everyone regrets them… But they are made to be permanent lessons. We must learn to accept them as a part of who we are; if not then they _will_ happen again. It is up to us to decide whether to learn and grow from them or let them destroy us from the inside out… One mistake or even multiple ones do not define you… it's what you make out of them that matters.'"

Akira looked into Cari's blue sincere eyes, no resentment in them… just understanding. "It's different Cari… You are not the embodiment of wisdom. My purpose is to give excellent advice and make sound judgments, right now to you… and then someday to the whole magical dimension… just as Glaedr does. My actions were far from wise or understanding… so far I have gone against my purpose in life..."

"You know the funny saying about wisdom? That to be old and wise you must first be young and stupid… well, last time I checked Akira we are only 18 to Glaedr's millions… I'm pretty sure we are still in the _stupid_ stage; it'll be a longggg time before anyone can call either of us _wise_. Just ask Musa… she said Riven didn't get anywhere _near_ being wise until the day he asked her to marry him… and that was in his thirties! I'm sure we can beat him though." Akira couldn't help but giggle with Cari.

After a short moment, Akira's smile died away again. "But I should've been more understanding in dealing with Masina. I wish I could go back and do things differently… I should have told you about her. I should have been… a better sister to her…"

"Maybe your right…" the dragon looked up, pain evident in her eyes at Cari's agreement. It hurt Cari to see her so hurt, but she needed to tell her the truth. If she only tried to cover it up and tell her everything she did was correct, when in fact no one knew what the correct course of action was, then she would never let go of the guilt. "Maybe you _should've_ done things differently. Maybe it _would've_ been better to tell me from the beginning. Maybe it _would've_ been better to give Masina a bit more freedom or attention. But the thing is… you _didn't_. Sure it would be great if one could go back and do things differently… but the fact of the matter is: You _can't_ … you can't go back and try to change the hurt feelings or mend broken relationships. All you can do is learn from this and hope you will never regret anything as much as you do now."

Cari could tell that her words were finally guiding her partner into forgiving herself. It hurt to see her so distraught, but Cari was determined to be there through it all, no matter what.

"…What are we going to do about Masina?" Akira asked after a moment of silence.

"I won't lie… It might take some time to fix that bridge, but I'm sure we can win her forgiveness… _together_. For now, we can give her some time to cool off, before we try talking to her… I don't see a need to really rush…"

"Actually…" the dragon interrupted "we don't have that much time…"

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"Well, since the three of us are… _unique_ beings… we technically cannot survive without the other. Right now, you and I are fine and won't feel a difference for a time. But Masina might be in danger after a time… since we are still young and unstable we need an anchor or a strong bond with a powerful magical source. Which is incredibly hard to find, not many can support and stabilize such powerful beings as us. It would be lucky if she could find someone who could support her for the time being, she could even steal magic from multiple magical beings to support herself without an anchor like they did in days of old… but for her to be truly safe she would need to fully bond and accept _you_ as her Alpha. But without your support it will be like a flame without oxygen, Masina will eventually grow weaker before fading away."

"Masina knows this?" Cari asked concerned

"Yes."

"And she still ran away?"

"I told you she is wild. She thrives on freedom and testing her limits. I know she thinks about what will happen to her if she refuses to accept you as her master, but right now she is being stubborn and is determined to give her loyalty to no one. And it is not because you are weak!" Akira added quickly, noticing the pain in the fairy's eyes. "You must understand that in her previous life… she was betrayed by the one she called her master, her alpha. He willingly and without remorse left her and their pack to perish on the battlefield, where they were meant to fight side by side, to save only himself not even a single member of their pack. They had many adventures together that solidified her trust in him but when she needed his loyalty the most… he betrayed her without a second thought."

Cari let her tears of anger and sorrow fall. "How could anyone be so heartless? No wonder Masina doesn't want another master… _sigh_ … but how can I get her to trust me? Or is there another way for me to bond with her, without me being her master, so she doesn't fade away?"

"If the bond with her is to work then she must pledge her loyalty to you. If she doesn't willingly give it to you then you must defeat her in battle. Force your dominance over her… if you win she will have no choice but to accept you as her Alpha. That's just the way wolves are."

"That doesn't sound too hard…" Cari commented

"But even winning will come at a price…" Akira warned

"Price? What kind of price?"

The dragon shook her head. "I'm not sure. She never told me. Just that if you were forced to defeat her in battle then you will have to give her something in return for her undying loyalty. That her submission will come at a great price… one that you might not want to give…"

"Any ideas what she could want?"

"It could be anything from materialistic to emotional. The better question is… will you be willing to part with anything she asks?"

"To save her, I will part with anything." Akira was taken aback by her quick response.

"There are a couple of important things you should know…" the dragon started with some hesitation. Cari just stared at her waiting patiently. "As I mentioned before … we are one in the same… If Masina fades away, I will follow behind her. It might not be at the same moment but there is no way of knowing how long I can stay without her… But if one takes down the other in battle then we will both disappear together regardless of who is victorious… and right now she has made it clear that she wants to fight me. To seek her revenge and discover who is stronger… I fear I will have no choice but to do battle with her…" Akira paused for a moment and looked away before continuing. "In the chance that we both disappear… I fear that you will bear the _worst_ of the consequences…"

"What do you mean?"

"Just like any fairy… you know that if you completely deplete your magical reserves you will… perish."

"Yea, that's basic fairy knowledge. It almost happened to Bloom when she defeated Eldus. But what does that have to do with Masina?" Cari asked slightly confused.

"In your case, it has everything to do with Masina. She and I _are_ your magical reserves… If we both fade away there is a high chance that you will… join us..." Akira said, barely a whisper.

Cari couldn't hold back the gasp and shock.

' _I shouldn't be too surprised… we three are one after all… if one goes then, of course, we all have to follow.'_ Watching the fear in Akira's eyes, pushed Cari to hid her fears away… for the moment.

"Well, that's to be expected right? Besides, I couldn't have you guys leave me behind anyway." Cari said casually. Akira's face quickly showed her pure shock.

"How could you be so _calm_ about this? This problem, that _I_ created, will give pain, sadness, even destruction… and not only to _you_ but to _everyone_ in the magical dimension! It could _kill_ you! How can you just accept this? You should be furious with me! You should be desperate to find and tame Masina! You should be sending me away in anger! You should resent us for forcing you in the middle of our sibling quarrel!" Akira exclaimed almost panicked.

"I know I should feel scared, or be mad… but I'm just not. Sure this can cause us a whole bunch of problems for everyone we know… I may even be isolated and feared again because of it… but that doesn't mean that I feel like I was _forced_ to deal with problems that were _not_ my own. The fact of the matter is… it _is_ my problem, not directly since I didn't know anything about it, but my problem none the less." Cari reached over and pat her dragon gently on the head. "The three of us have always endured together; we have always been one team even when I didn't know it. I won't abandon you to deal with _our_ problem alone; I couldn't do that to you. You have always been by my side when I needed you; it's only natural that I stay by you when you need me."

"So this is your honor wanting to return the debt of the support I have given you all these years? If so… I do not need nor want it…"

"That was not what I meant and you know it…" Cari interrupted a bit crossed. "I am not doing this out of repayment or obligation. I am doing this because I want to! I want us to be a family like we were always meant to be. Sure I don't really know Masina as well as I know you. And she was kind of mean to me when we met. But she is still _your_ sister and _my_ inner wolf… _our_ family. I can't help but try my absolute best to reach out to her, to protect her… even from herself. And if that means the only way to do it is to _beat_ her into submission, then so be it. I haven't lost a real fight yet, and I don't plan on making her the first."

"You will lose something very precious to you, Cari! She could ask for your memories, your wings, even your freedom if she wishes it! Worst case scenario, you perish leaving your family and friends behind…" Akira paused "Or are you fighting to ensure your survival?"

"Akira, look at me…" Cari waited until purple eyes locked with her blue. "Sure Mama, Papa Aiden and Rosie, and Lea will be devastated if we leave them behind… and I will be extremely sad to do that to them… and I'm pretty sure Aiden will be super mad he will have to become King in my place… but honestly I know I couldn't live without you two, and I don't mean that in the literal sense, I mean that I already feel something is missing… all I can think of right now is getting the three of us together again. Whether that be in death or life. And even if we don't make it, I will make sure that we leave no regrets or hard feelings behind. We are one, no matter what!" The dragon couldn't help but smile at the sincerity she saw in Cari's eyes. She wasn't lying or hiding anything, these were her true feelings…

"Masina and I are lucky to have you as our fairy. I hope she soon realizes that you are her true master and alpha." Akira said with pride.

 _*end of flashback*_

Cari lay in her bed, waiting to fall asleep. She turned to look at Akira's nest and saw it empty. The whole day the dragon was avoiding her, hopefully just recollecting her thoughts about what they talked about. Cari gave her all the space she wanted, sure it made her feel a bit lonely, but she wasn't about to force her companionship on someone who just needed some alone time.

And after a day apart, the more Cari no longer felt betrayed… Akira was only trying to protect her. The more she thought about it the more she knew that if the dragon told her about Akira sooner then she would've released her before she was ever ready. Akira had to bear this burden alone and she couldn't hold it against her… she would've done the same…

Reaching out through their bond Cari sensed Akira was safe and close by. Satisfied, Cari got comfortable and closed her eyes. Only one thought in her mind before she entered her dreamless slumber:

' _I hope Masina is safe and comfortable too…'_

* * *

Masina's POV

"You think that barrier will keep me in?! She's not strong enough!" Masina barked when she felt Bloom's barrier block her exit. She glared at Cari who reentered her subconscious, standing in front of her and Akira with the swirling unlocked powers of Enchantix behind her.

She already looked tired, but her eyes glowed with determination.

"Mama is the strongest fairy in the universe! And I believe in her!" Cari said with confidence. Masina felt the barrier that kept her locked up weaken as the fairy took away her support.

Making sure the connection between her and Akira was still interrupted, the wolf smirked.

' _Just a little longer until I'm free…'_

As soon as Cari turned and calmly entered the pool of raw power, Masina took her chance and focused a large burst of energy into breaking the fairy's barrier. Laughing once free.

"I told you I would get out sister." Masina growled at the dragon who was staring at her with indifference.

"I warn you, Masina… you are playing with a small flame in a dry forest, one that can easily grow into a wildfire, a fire that's path can shift easily and swiftly without warning destroying everything in its wake. If not cautious you will become the ash it creates." Akira warned.

The wolf just laughed "You forget _dear sister_. The one thing that can change the wildfire's path- whether it be to its destruction or growth- is the _wind_!" Emphasizing her point she swirled the air she controlled around them harshly. "And _I_ plan to control the path this fire is headed towards…" she said menacingly before she fully forced her way out of Cari's subconscious to join her astral projection in breaking Bloom's barrier.

.

' _This is one stubborn pup… I can give her that at least…'_ the wolf reluctantly praised when she noticed Cari starting to merge with Enchantix. _'She is merging faster than the times before… I thought I would have more time to break this barrier.'_

Masina glanced down at Bloom as she was bouncing around in the barrier. _'I just need to distract Bloom for a split second, just long enough for the barrier to slightly weaken so I can escape before the pup traps me… but how?'_ looking around she noticed that they were high enough from the river and forest below to not cause any damage, but thinking of Akira's parting words gave her an idea.

' _If the surges were stronger, enough to reach the trees and cause a wildfire… well, I'm sure the Queen wouldn't want to see any nearby towns to go up in flames…'_ Smirking she timed Cari's surges and sent out surges of her own, mixing them together becoming strong enough to start fires in the trees below.

Masina knew this was a risky plan… the more power she used the less time she had before becoming a ghost again. ' _But that won't stop me from getting my freedom!'_ she growled as she put more power and speed into her surges and attempts to break the barrier.

The wolf smiled as she felt Bloom's concentration beginning to waver. _'Just a little more!'_

"I will not let you harm the innocent!" Masina snarled at Akira's voice. When she appeared in her humanoid form in the barrier the wolf fully thought they were going to battle right then and there. But she was surprised when Akira reached over and released the dangerous fairy dagger from Cari's hair clip.

' _NO! She is going to weaken the surges!'_ Unlike other fairies, that dagger has no effect on them when simply pulled out of its sheath. The only way for it to have any effect on them is if it drinks their blood, allowing it direct access to their magic. As long as the blade is sealed in time no real harm will come to them.

Before Masina could do anything the dragon already cut herself. Being connect and all… Masina could feel the blade draining her powers. Risking her chances for escape and survival if she did. But as she turned to grab the blade she felt the barrier suddenly weaken to almost nothing. Not wanting to give up her chance she burst through the barrier, successfully shattering it.

Laughing triumphantly she floated above the prison she was sealed in for the last 18 years. Taking in the new feeling of freedom she stiffened when she sensed their creator. Glaring down the wolf saw Bloom a few feet below her, Glaedr's astral form beside her.

' _Of course… if his sacred guardian is here he would be too…but if he thinks he can stop me then he is as senile as he looks…'_

"I'm stronger than I was back then! You won't be able to seal me away this time, ya old dried up lizard!" In that same moment, she felt that cursed blade being sealed away again.

' _How desperate is she? Using that blade could've ended differently…'_

"That was a stupid move, Rara! You were lucky this time, next time you might _not_ be!" Feeling tired, she chose to take that chance to escape. She didn't want to give them a chance to capture her when she just got her freedom.

' _I will get my revenge after I have regained my strength…'_

Masina fully cloaked her presence and quickly teleported only a couple miles up the river.

Exhausted she landed on a branch to catch her breath. "I need to find a way to get my magic back or I will become a ghost before I get my revenge…"

"Ogron I think we are completely lost. I thought you had an idea of where we were going?" Masina froze when she heard a female voice from just below her. Making sure she wouldn't be seen, she peered down and saw someone with a hooded cloak… talking to herself?

"What the heck is anyone doing here and how did Bloom not notice her presence she could've been hurt…" Shrugging, Masina focused, trying to gauge the magical capacity the girl had.

The wolf sighed in disappointment and slight confusion. _'What is witch doing on Eraklyon? And a weak one at that… sigh… but… this could just work in my favor… she may have very little magic but I need every drop I can get. Looks like I found my first prey…'_ Masina's smirk grew as she planned a way to scare the girl.

Standing tall she ran her fingers through her hair and tail making sure she looked as wild as possible before transforming into a large dark blue wolf. Once transformed she howled and smiled when she saw the girl jump in fright and look around before jumping off the branch to land a few feet behind this strange witch.

Masina growled and barked menacingly, gaining the attention of the frightened witch. She slowly stalked the cowering girl. She inched closer and closer forcing the girl back more and more. She jumped when the girl tripped on a root with a startled yelp, the fall throwing the hood off her head.

In that moment the wolf was able to get a good look and sense of the girl, which made her stop and stare. _'That cloak must have a very powerful cloaking spell if it could hide her strong magical abilities… how interesting… looks like I found more than a small meal…'_

The girl watched in fear and shock as the large terrifying wolf inches before her rose up and transformed into… a humanoid wolf? With a tail and fangs… but still just as scary as the wolf…

Masina took in the young witch on the floor. She looked no older than 15. Long fusia hair, green highlights, and chocolate brown eyes. _'She has a good amount of untapped potential… not to mention she looks young enough to easily manipulate…perfect…'_

"You seem to be lost…" Masina said in a casual tone, as though she didn't try to attack the witch just now.

Still frozen in shock, the witch just stared. "Hey! Are you brain dead? Say something will ya?" Masina said annoyed.

The witch suddenly jumped to her feet and began charging up an energy blast just for it to lose its stability and slightly explode in the girl's hands, startling her enough to fall once more on the floor. Masina gapped not believing what she just saw. _'She has no control… Ugh, do I want to even temporarily bond myself with this klutz?'_

Taking a deep breath and putting on her fake warm smile, she slowly walked closer to the witch. "Are you ok? I hope you didn't hurt yourself." Masina asked holding out her hand to help the young girl up. The coughing girl looked up and stared at her, confusion written on her face.

After a moment of silence, she reached up and accepted the offered hand just for it to phase through.

The wolf had to cover her ears as the witch screamed. _'Dam I forgot I am too weak to stay corporeal right now.'_

"Hey stop that shrieking!" Masina exclaimed, hoping her hearing would come back soon.

"A ghost?! O my gosh! Are you going to haunt me? Were you on that ship? Did you die? I didn't mean to kill you! I was just supposed to make a problem so Princess Cari or the Prince would come to investigate and hopefully get wounded in the process. Hopefully, figure out who the Prince was. I didn't mean to hurt anyone else! I was just following orders! Please don't drag me to the underworld!" Tears started to form as Masina just stared in shock.

' _Seems things just got more interesting… so that wasn't an accident after all… someone is after the annoying siblings… perfect…'_ Soon the girl opened her mouth as another wail hurt the wolf's ears.

"ENOUGH! DON'T Scream! I'm _not_ a ghost!" She gratefully sighed when the witch quickly shut her mouth.

The girl looked at her confused "If you're not a dead passenger… Then what are you? What do you want from me?"

"I'm a powerful werewolf from Earth. Not a ghost." Masina said with a smug pose.

"From Earth? But they don't have any magical creatures besides the fairies…" the witch said as she stood up on her own again.

"I'm from old magic, thousands of years ago."

"But so are fairies… I don't remember any mention of werewolves except in the Legendarium." The witch said still confused.

"We existed before the fairies…and I'm pretty sure the only reason fairies showed up because they didn't like how we ran things. Anyway, don't sweat the small details let's get down to business." Masina's fanged smile grew brighter as she locked eyes with the young witch.

"B-business? W-what kind of business would y-you have with m-me?"

"I have taken an _interest_ in you. How would _you_ like the _honor_ of forming a contract with me?… temporarily of course." Masina said smugly.

"A contract? With you? Like I have with Orgon?" the witch asked as she pointed to her chameleon.

"I am no one's _pet_." She finished with disgust

"Orgon isn't a pet, he's my familiar."

"Yea, not doing that either… my contract will make us almost equals, maybe more like teacher and student if you will." Masina said pointing to herself than to the witch. "I will teach you better control and maybe some spells- let me add that I have vast knowledge in the dark arts especially since I was around when they were first being created- and I will allow you three favors, which I will be free to reject if I wish."

The girl thought about this offer. She did need help in using her magic and having a skilled teacher that actually _will_ teach her, sounded too good to pass up. "…Umm… What do _you_ get out of this? I doubt this is out of the kindness of your heart… no offense…" the witch asked timidly.

"Clever little witch aren't you…" said witch shrank within her cloak thinking she had asked too much. "Good. There is hope for you yet. Your right, I will need something from you in return… not much… I mainly need your magical support. Similar to how you support your little pet there." Masina said pointing to the small chameleon.

"Magical support? Why do you need that? I-I thought you said you were powerful…"

"I am, but all powerful beings have a limit. For me to stay amongst the corporeal I need a good amount of magical support and let's say I recently lost mine. As you can see…" the wolf said as she phased her hand through a tree. "I need to replace my old support fast. And right now _you_ are lucky enough to fit the bill, and it seems that you need my help just as much. And don't worry if it doesn't work out between us then we will just part ways when I find someone else. 'Til then I can teach you what you need to know _and_ you get three favors from me, _if_ they are interesting enough I will gladly oblige." Masina finished with a shrug.

"Any favor?"

"Sure. It can be anything from fetching firewood to destroying a planet… if it sparks my interest enough, I will do it. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?"

The young witch looked to her familiar, as though asking it what it thought. After a moment hesitation, she took a step forward and nodded her head.

Masina couldn't help the smirk light up her face. "Excellent! Before we begin the contract… I must know the name of my new partner." She asked as she held out her hand, which was glowing with her magic.

The girl slightly nodded and slightly bowed her head in respect before accepting the wolf's hand.

"Mara. My name is Mara."

Masina felt the temporary bond forming between them; at the same time, she felt her magic returning _. 'Excellent, I will be fine with her as my anchor… for a while at least… not to mention she will help me in my revenge…'_

"Good to meet ya, Mara. I am Masina. I have a feeling sticking with you will be extremely interesting indeed."

* * *

Cari was happily rushing towards Red Fountain.

Even though she had gone to bed worried she had awoken feeling relieved. She didn't know how but she felt that Masina was safe for now.

Since she got her Enchantix she had a sinking feeling that the wolf was weak and Cari was worried that she wouldn't find the magical support she needed in time. But today that sinking feeling was gone, she felt that they didn't need to worry about her fading away alone and scared anymore. Not to mention, when she woke up Akira was sleeping soundly in her nest.

This was the first time in a few days that Cari felt a sense of normalcy again.

Excited, she had quickly dressed and began her journey to train with ACS.

Soon enough she was looking up the large building where the dorms stood.

"Are you going to transform to deliver the Prince's present?" Akira asked the smiling fairy

"Nope, I will fly without my wings. Not many fairies have their Enchantix yet. I don't want to make it easier for people to find out it's me if I'm caught."

"Are you not slower without your wings? What if you are caught?"

"Well, now that I have Enchantix I should be much faster even without my wings. So, it should balance out fine."

Akira nodded "Very well. Do be careful."

"I will" Cari said before closing her eyes and focusing her magic to fly straight up to the floor she wanted.

She smiled brighter as she reached Aiden's balcony. Pulling out the small decorated bag of cookies, she was about to carefully place it by the door… when it suddenly swung open.

Her smile died once she looked up. Completely frozen in shock she didn't know how to react when she locked eyes with dark brown instead of blue.

Mallori looked between Cari and the pretty bag in her hands before breaking the silence. "I am not interested." He said in his usual cold tone.

Cari arched a brow at him, slightly confused at his statement, pulling her away from her spinning thoughts. "Not interested in what?" Which he only replied with "

Which he only replied with "hn."

"I believe he is rejecting you're supposed love confession and offering." Akira whispered the explanation to the confused fairy.

It took Cari only a moment to understand, to which her face turned red in both embarrassment and anger. "LOVE CONFESSION?! O no, no nonono. NO! These are definitely _not_ for you!" Cari quickly threw her hand with the cookies behind her, hiding them from sight. While Mallori just arched his brow in disbelief.

Anger and frustration reached its boiling point. It took everything she had to quickly clamp a hand over her mouth and muffle the angry scream that escaped her, as Mallori slammed the door on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Ready for today's _entertainment_?" Riven teased with an amused smirk.

"Entertainment? Do they lose that often?" Cari asked with an arched brow, waiting as Timmy set up the training room for Aiden's team.

"Actually they haven't lost yet. But they don't win in the way they should, they get by just using brute force or pure luck instead of teamwork." Riven replied "But the entertainment is all in how they respond to each other. They try to completely avoid each other and when they do fight in the same vicinity they only look out for themselves but get this… when they are blindsided they blame the others for not protecting them. It's similar to how my twins blame each other when they break things." The professor snickered.

Cari giggled at the image, but her curiosity grew… _'How well, will Aiden and his new team fair in Timmy's virtual simulator?'_ She picked a tricky one for them, where they would have to rely on the trust and abilities of each other in order to succeed within the time limit; this mission will need both stealth and strength, but mainly team work. Sure, it can be completed as a free for all but it will result in failing the time limit requirement.

"I'm surprised that you didn't come to see Aiden practice sooner, Cari. Is there a reason why you've watched other freshman teams first in the last couple weeks?" Timmy asked as he completed the set up and began the timer. They all watched from the control room as the three specialists began the training session.

"I would only see his if it wouldn't cause suspicions. Holding back is harder than I thought…" Cari frowned.

"How so?" Timmy asked

"Well since, publicly, we just met… I can't show I know him more than I do. So there are things I can't do even when I really want to. Like when Aiden told me he got assigned his new team members I wanted to meet them that same day but why would a random fairy want to meet a specific group of freshies all of a sudden. I didn't want my selfishness to blow his cover so I thought I would have to wait and hope I eventually meet them or even see them work together."

"That must be hard. Come to think of it, didn't they already move in together? The headmaster must be sure about this match-up then… Wait, weren't you leaving him stuff every morning? how are you dealing with that?" Timmy asked.

"Honestly, I was relieved when they moved into his apartment… he wasn't alone anymore… though I wish he had told me _earlier_." Cari said slightly annoyed at the memory.

Riven started laughing "Hey it's not funny!" she snapped at the magenta-haired professor.

"No, no you're right… it isn't funny…" Riven agreed, pausing in his laughter. "It's _hilarious_!" he finished as his laughter picked up again.

"What are you guys talking about?" Timmy asked as Cari threateningly narrowed her eyes at her teacher.

 _Sigh_. "Aiden didn't tell me his new team moved in with him when they did. So I assumed they hadn't moved in yet, especially since Aiden hadn't found the right team yet. I mean he was moved to his own apartment _because_ he was bouncing from team to team; there was no point in him staying with a team he wasn't going to be a part of after all. Anyway, like every normal day, I went to drop off his little morning gift." Cari turned her eyes to focus on the monitors, not wanting to see the teasing smirks on her uncle's faces. "The only problem that day was… Mallori caught me…" a slight blush crept on her face as she heard Riven's howling laughter.

"That's it? What's so bad about that?" Timmy asked once he could be heard over his friend.

"Yes Cari, explain to Timmy why that's so _badddd_ …" Riven teasingly said.

Cari shot him a glare before answering "He thought the gift was my way of… confessing my _NON_ -existent feelings for him…" she mumbled looking to the monitors again.

It was Timmy's turn to laugh, not as much as Riven, but enough to embarrass the fairy more. "Well, it could've been worse… he could've found out what you two really are to each other." Timmy said with pursed lips, obviously forcing his laughter down.

"I guess… but when I told him it _wasn't_ for him he figured out it was for Aiden and now he thinks I'm _dating_ my brother."

"Well, that might work out for him, now that I think about it." Cari arched a brow at Riven, who just shrugged. "He _is_ pretty popular with the girls. I hear they have been bothering him a lot since the party at Alfea. If he's already 'taken' then they might back off and finally give him some peace."

"Hmm… Maybe that _is_ a good idea. I don't mind being a target, especially if Aiden can get some peace and quiet. But if he is as popular as you say… then his annoying fan-girls might cause me some problems..." Cari voiced out loud.

"You mean girls still take out their 'competition'? I thought this generation has evolved from that." Riven wondered

"Nope, we are still stupid brats just like _your_ old generation." The fairy replied as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Since no one has bothered me I guess no one has assumed that… yet."

"Well, do go easy on them if they corner you behind the gym, or whatever." Riven said with a snicker.

"Psh, like they would even _try_. Most Alfea fairies are soft and _only_ rely on their magic. They wouldn't _dare_ come after me without it… well at least not on school grounds... _Sigh_. But I will still need to ask Aiden what he wants to do if people _do_ start thinking that way. He might not like the idea of having his fan club targeting me." Cari said

"Why not? Is he worried your might get carried away?" Timmy asked

"It's not that. Since I got my Enchantix he's been a bit more… I guess attentive and supportive around me lately. I think this time just really shook him up. Can't really blame him, I was _a bit_ … careless that day. And with Masina out there, he knows I will do everything in my power to find her. So, knowing him he wouldn't want to _add_ to my already heavy 'load'." She finished with air quotes.

"But until you find a clue to her location I'm glad you decided to help me in training these first years." Riven said with a wink.

"You know I'm still not too _excited_ about it, but it was the only way I knew I could watch and help Aiden practice without people asking questions." Cari grumbled. "So thanks for letting me _use_ you, old man." She teased, before he could reply Timmy said:

"O so that's why it took you so long to see Aiden's team in action."

"Yup, I figured I couldn't just suddenly single out his team. Someone would ask why sooner or later. That's when I thought of Riven- he is always helping you with these training sessions, and he's been _bugging_ me to help too. So, I figured: if I was 'helping him' with training these freshies, then I will be able to help Aiden while still keeping his secret. Though now I'm wondering if I should've found another way: I didn't think it would be _this_ much work… I need to actually pay attention to _everything_ these freshies do." She turned to Riven before continuing. "And I don't know how _you_ , of all people, have so much patience for this." Cari said shaking her head.

"That's a good point." Timmy started with a smirk. "He was never patient or willing to help others during our school years. Always the grumpy Specialist."

Riven reached over and slapped the back of his head- just hard enough to sting- before turning to the giggling fairy. "You'll get used to it. And the feeling you get when they become great helps too." Riven said with a wink. "Besides I know you secretly love it."

"I don't know about 'loving' it, but it could be _worse_. But right now it's worth to see Aiden's team work… speaking of which: you guys see what I see right?" Cari said as she pointed to the monitors with a smile.

"Well, some stuff makes sense now… but they still suck in their teamwork and so far nothing I have told them has stuck. They might not be as compatible as we thought…" Riven said as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"With _their_ personalities I wouldn't listen to an old man like you either." Cari said with a teasing smile.

"Well, I'm sure they would listen to an old man _more_ than a pretty little fairy." He teased back.

"Probably, but I know ways of getting my point across." Cari smirked "But first tell me all you know on Mallori and Calleo, they seem to have curious stories."

Riven shrugged before turning to the computer and pulling up the team's file for Cari see. She quickly read through the basic summary on the first page of each Specialist, not caring so much about the medical or school details.

 **Aiden** **  
First year  
Age: 16  
Realm: Earth  
Position: Mid/close range Attacker, Defender  
Weapons: Double-edge Phantoblade, shield  
History/Notes: Blade has invisibility capabilities. Extremely fast, with exceptional reflexes. Good analytical skills and has promise for a leadership position.**

She smirked when she saw that Aiden used their Grandma Vanessa's Earth address. ' _Clever_.'

 **Prince Calleo** **  
Second year  
Age: 18  
Realm: Cosmosia - Second Prince  
Position: Mid/long range Attacker, tactician  
Weapons: Curved Phantoblade, Bow and plasma-arrows  
History/Notes: Transfer student. Was a third year in previous school, but circumstances resulted in enrollment as a second-year student. Top scores across the board, specializes in archery and is a highly skilled tactician.**

 **Mallori** **  
Second year  
Age: 18  
Realm: Dolona  
Position: Front Attacker, infiltrator  
Weapons: Twin phantoblades, poison needles  
History/Notes: Previously had private tutors. Recommended as second year, instead of third, because of private schooling. Highly skilled in stealth and infiltration. Vast knowledge in poisons.**

After she finished reading she turned back to Riven. "How were they in their previous teams?"

"Well, Calleo has amazing memory and can recall almost _every minute detail_ of any mission specs. He is patient and a very likable person, guess that comes with being raised as a prince and all. But there were complaints of him being aloof and some insubordination. Seems he had some trouble following the team leader's orders. At times he would divert from set mission plans without warning, disappearing in the middle of battle just to suddenly reappear again. When he would reappear, the reasons always differed: appearing to give the finishing blow, to say he had already completed the mission, or when his teammates finished the mission without him. The headmaster never really punished him. When I asked him why he would always say 'no one was physically harmed, he just needs time to find his way…' Never understood that, but he was right in the fact that no one was ever hurt. Even with the lack of a vital member everything would flow flawlessly for some reason or another, guess luck is always on his side. Unfortunately, since no one could trust him to _always_ cover his position, became the main reason he was unable to settle in a team. He was seen as unreliable and a safety risk. And it goes without saying: a team that doesn't trust you is no team at all." Riven said with a shrug.

"Now, Mallori is a… different case. He flat out _ignores_ almost every order or plan designed by the team leader. He just does his own thing. It's clear that he does not trust _anyone_ in battle. He only protects himself and does not even _try_ to protect his fellow teammates. He is known to charge head first with no plan _or_ backup. It's obvious he has incredible skill, but so long as his rage and impatience continue to take over… he will never reach the heights he is capable of. The reason why he hasn't found a team yet is simply because no one trusts _or_ likes him, not to mention everyone fears him to some extent for obvious reasons. He was rotated through twice as many teams as Calleo or Aiden." Riven looked at the team on the monitor with concern.

"And you know Aiden's case. He is a _born_ leader. Sure he sometimes comes up with some crazy plans that just borders insanity. Hmm… I wonder who he gets _that_ from?" Riven said with a pointed glance to the fairy, who just smiled innocently at him "Uh-huh… Well, in dangerous situations he is quick to react with killer instincts, but not many are able to keep up with him. Because of this he tends to take on tasks that usually require multiple people, all on his own. His main issue is that he seems _reluctant_ to trust anyone. And sometimes it's difficult for him to properly communicate his 'crazy' plans- especially under pressure and last minute- resulting with doubts in execution.

"Right now, we have Calleo as the leader, mainly in _hopes_ that it will cease his disappearances and _maybe_ calm Mallori's rage with his calming personality. But it's obvious that Aiden will be a better fit. And I don't think Mallori will ever be able to work well with others." Riven said as they all watched the monitors intensely. "As you can see… they have a perfect success rate, but with _many_ flaws and overall failing grade." He said as they watched the completed training session.

Cari frowned at the timer. _'It took them over double the amount of time it should have taken them to complete this course.'_ "Hmm… they have a lot to work on."

"Good luck in getting them to work as a team! I'm pretty sure Saladin was _very_ mistaken in throwing these three together. I have already requested they rotate teams, but he is adamant in keeping them together." Riven said slightly dejected.

"I do believe you have your work cut out for you Cari. This could be one of the worst teams that have used my simulator to date." Timmy said with concern.

"O how sad. The elderly are already giving up on the youth. Already claiming their future an impossibility." Cari said dramatically, placing the back of her hand on her forehead. She lowered her hand after a dramatic pause, eyes blazing with excitement as a sly grin grew on her face. "It's a good thing _I_ like making the impossible, _possible_."

"Haha yea right kid! It ain't gonna happen. There is no _way_ you can convince _those_ _three_ to work together in perfect sync, they are _too_ different from each other." Riven said with a roll of his eyes.

"Weren't _you_ different from everyone as a student? Yet you turned out fine with Papa and my uncles." Cari shrugged

"She has a point Riven. You were the embodiment of the black sheep in Red Fountain, you were lucky we put up with you in the beginning." Timmy confirmed

"That's different. _One_ oddball is _much_ easier to find compatibility in a team than an _entire team_ of oddballs trying to _force_ compatibility with each other. I know we all want Aiden to find his perfect team, but there is just _no_ common ground with these three, none that _I_ can see. _That_ makes it impossible for them to work together in _any_ sense." Riven crossed his arms in both frustration and disappointment.

"But doesn't that make it _more_ of a possibility?" Cari asked.

"And how do you figure that?" Riven arched a brow in confusion.

"If a group made up of purely 'normal' Specialists can come together fine. Then the same can be said for a group made up purely of oddballs. They can be themselves and automatically be _expected_ to be as such from the beginning instead of being _forced_ to follow the 'norm'. You can't say you didn't have that challenge at their age…" When Riven didn't deny her claim she continued "And you're wrong about them not having a common ground… each one of them wants to become _stronger_ , to become _the best_. _That_ makes it possible for them to be the perfect team." Cari said, confidence and excitement dancing in her eyes.

"You always had an odd way of looking at things, kid. Though you might have point, but the question still remains… how are you going to convince, this team of oddballs, to work together?"

"I'm not gonna _convince_ them… I'm gonna _trick_ them…" Riven looked at her like she had lost her mind. "I see your doubt, Professor. How about a wager then? If I can get them to work together then you will treat me to my favorite ice cream shop, _all._ I. can. Eat."

Riven had to really think carefully about this bet. He would have a lot to lose if she won… and he wasn't talking about his pride, no nothing like that. When it came to Cari's favorite ice cream shop she was known to eat an ungodly amount of it. He was more worried about the pain and suffering his wallet will go through if he lost.

Looking at the exhausted team on the monitors, he noticed their silent glares at each other. _'There is no way they will get along…'_ "Fine if they become one of the _best_ teams Red Fountain has seen _this year_ then I will treat you to all you can eat ice cream at the shop of your choice. But if _I_ win: you will have to help me train and mentor my students for the next _2 years_! Agreed?" Riven said, confident he was going to win and get the extra free help he wanted.

Cari first groaned at the idea of mentoring freshies for two years, but soon shrugged before holding out her hand. "Deal." Riven shook her hand and they both smiled, confident in their win.

"You two are crazy. I don't even want to see who wins this bet." Timmy said as he posted the results for the team still in the simulator.

Ignoring Timmy's statement Cari bounced over to the computer and pulled out her phone that saved the recorded session. "Can you open the doors, please? I want to start winning my bet." She said with a wink before Timmy nodded.

Cari turned and skipped out of the room sticking her tongue out at Riven before heading into the simulator.

' _I am inclined to agree with Riven, Cari. They seem much too different to become a proper team or at least one that your beloved brother can trust with his life and yours…'_ Akira commented

' _Rosie, Lea, and I are completely different but we get along just fine.'_

' _Masina and I are literally the_ embodiment _of opposites yet here we are…_ ' Cari felt the sorrow behind the dragon's words, but before she could say anything Akira continued _'besides friendship is extremely different than being trained to completely trust each other in real battle soon after meeting. You three had time to get to know each other without a time limit, they do not have that luxury.'_

' _Good point, but that could also be the reason why they will. If pushed to their absolute limits I'm sure they will figure out they need each other more than just to pass a class.'_

' _Sigh. Very well… and I suppose it will be good training as crown princess… let us see how you approach this challenge… How_ will _you approach this anyway? Your usual method, blunt and brutal advice?'_

' _Nope, not this time. I think I need to… customize my advice to each one.'_

' _O? How so?'_ Akira was genuinely curious at this point

' _Well, Aiden is easy: he will take anything I tell him to heart and listen carefully, but that's no fun. I will give him something to figure out on his own. Calleo seems to be one to enjoy riddles and hidden messages so I will give him one. Mallori reminds me of those proud muscular men with inflated egos we saw on Earth's gyms. If we poke fun at his physical limits he most likely will do his best to prove me wrong which will only drive him to get closer to his teammates…'_

' _I'm impressed how thought out your plan is… I am proud that you are treating this as training to be future queen.'_ Akira praised

' _O yea… there's that too. Honestly I just really want all you can eat ice cream at Riven's expense…'_ Cari giggled as Akira was frozen into silence.

Entering the simulator, she saw the three Specialists already arguing with each other over their horrible results. She stopped right before them before letting out a loud whistle. When they calmed down she smiled as though she didn't just hurt their eardrums.

"Well, good job guys! I can see that you won't be bored _at all_ this year! With all the training you will need to just even come _close_ to getting a passing score." She giggled at their obvious frustration at her comment.

"Don't talk as though you could do better, _fairy_." Mallori sneered, slightly winded.

"Psh. I'm not on a team silly. I would need at least two more members to complete that course, but even then…" her blue eyes changed from carefree to complete confidence. "I'm sure I can beat _that_ pathetic score." She claimed, pointing to their posted results.

Before Mallori could say anything in rage, Aiden stepped forward. "I am glad that a fellow student as skilled as you is assisting Professor Riven. Do you perhaps have any advice for us?"

"I do. But the question is… will you even listen to a pretty little fairy?" Cari fluttered her lashes sweetly.

"We are open to criticism." Calleo said casually with a sweet smile.

' _That doesn't mean you will take it…'_ "hmm… well alright… if it falls on deaf ears then whatever. Good thing I like talking." She carefully looked at each one of them. "So~ who wants to go first?"

"You will not criticize us as a team?" Calleo asked slightly surprised. To which Cari shook her head.

"Why should I? You have yet to _act_ as one." When they didn't respond she smiled and focused her attention on Calleo. "You are an extremely skilled Specialist, Prince, I see you have the potential to reach far. There is _nothing_ that can get by you, right? But you have a funny way of doing things. You know… you kinda remind me of a bird… Outside of battle, you give the slight impression of a caged bird. Yet in the middle of battle, you fly free but silently. Now don't get me wrong it's not necessarily a bad thing, believe me, it's not. But even wild birds tell each other their plans and routes, especially the ones that fly the highest. And imagine how much _freedom_ and _satisfaction_ you could get if you would only be loud and sing out your thoughts…after all only _Death_ is truly silent." She kept her eyes lock on him a moment longer after she finished before turning to Aiden.

"You have the skills to become a successful leader, Aiden. Your reflexes are out of this world and are able to improvise in a moment's notice. I can see that you prefer solo missions in the way you are more confident in doing tasks yourself and I am sure that any given solo mission will be accomplished with no problem… but because of that, it makes me wonder: why you are on a team? What's the point of having teammates if you are just gonna save the day by yourself? Is this just for passing your grade? Trying to prove a first year has enough skill to match these second years? Who will have your back if you don't show the same courtesy? What kind of leader do you want to become? Will you be able to show me the answer?" Cari finished with a smile before focusing on the grimacing dark haired specialist.

"I don't need your criticism, fairy!" He coldly whispered as his eyes shot daggers at her. To anyone else she was sure they would quickly back away, but it took a lot to chill the fire within her. She stared back unwavering, un-phased by his attitude.

"I was _shocked_ by _your_ abilities Mallori." Cari started as though he didn't just threateningly narrow his eyes at her. "You don't take me as someone who can fight so fiercely and stealthily. Who would've thought that your twin blades were more than just _decorations_." He practically growled at her. "I like your fighting style, I can see that you _almost_ have it perfected… if only you had the stamina for it."

"My physic is perfect." He snarled.

"Are you sure~? You're breathing kinda heavy~. If you _had_ the proper stamina for your current fighting style then this should be _nothing_ for you. But since you have low stamina… you might want to start thinking of fixing your style, like finding a way to make your limited stamina last longer. Not every battle will be _this_ short… some can take much, _much_ longer. Your enemy won't care if you're tired or not… they will just care about your downfall. But I wonder…" He arched an eyebrow. _'I see you're listening closely now huh?'_ "Imagine the energy you would save if you would just properly _dodge_ attacks instead of blocking them… unless you somehow get others to take out a few enemies _for you_ instead of wasting energy taking care of _all of them_ on your own. But thinking about it… I don't think you will ever perfect that fighting style, pity." When he scoffed, she shrugged and casually looked away folding her arms behind her head. "But whatever I don't care. Keep fighting the way you do, at least we will know you can last _one_ battle. We can rotate you out after a few hours, easy."

"I can continue to fight for days. I can fight _you_ right now _and_ win." Mallori challengingly stepped closer to her.

Cari turned to face him once again and looked him, up and down, eyes obviously judging him. "Hmm… I highly _doubt_ that. You won't even last long against my _dolls_ , let alone fight _me_. I would definitely win without even trying too hard. Do you _really~_ want that embarrassment?" She lowered her arms and stood firm and tall, open to his challenge if he offered it.

His lips drew back into a half grin, half snarl. "I'll take your pretty little dolls on. _Here_ and _now_."

"I dunno~… it wouldn't be much fun to beat someone so drained as you. But I might consider it _if_ it's all three of you _at once_."

"I don't need their help to fight you."

"Then I refuse. I need at least a _bit_ of a work out for pulling out my pretty dolls. But even against the three of you my dolls are sure to win, and that's no fun." Cari smirked as she started to walk away again. She knew she was going to get her way when she heard sharp whispers behind her.

"Ms. Cari!" She looked back at the sound of Aiden's voice. " _We_ would like to challenge you to battle. The three of us against you and your… dolls." He finished with a smile, but she knew it hid his nervousness. _'Of course he would be… he knows about my dolls…'_

"Are you _sure_? You three seem pretty exhausted and I don't want a _boring_ fight. Besides, I wouldn't want to be forced to carry you guys to the infirmary." Her smile grew as she watched the team refer to each other before nodding their agreement, determination burning in their eyes.

"We assure you, Ms. Cari…" Calleo started. "You _won't_ be bored."

Cari stared them down a moment. _'I like that look in their eyes. Wanting to fight me together is a start…'_ "I'll make sure you keep your word. Challenge accepted! I hope this team does its best to survive long enough to entertain me."

.

After a short break, enough time for the three Specialists to get a quick drink of water, they all stood and waited for Timmy to start the simulator again.

"I guess I will summon 15 dolls? You might be able to handle that much in your state" Cari wondered out loud. The three specialists still looked tired, but she didn't want to waste the first time they agreed on something as a team. So she will push them just enough to get her point across.

"What is the mission?" Aiden asked after Timmy set up the simulator's forest arena. It was a lush forest with tall trees reaching for the sky and seemed to stretch for a few acres. They were standing on a tall hill with a great view of the forest. Cari loved how realistic the simulator looked and felt.

"It's simple. All you need to do is defeat my dolls then hit the button located on top of that pyramid." Cari said, motioning to the pyramid barely reaching above the trees in the distance. "If the three of you manage to get there, you win. Easy, right?"

"That's it? We agreed to challenge _you_ , not just your stupid little dolls!" Mallori exclaimed in frustration

"Well, in a sense you will be fighting me… it will just be through my dolls, instead of directly. I don't think you will have enough strength to fight me after that…" Cari mused

"Is it wise to underestimate us, Ms. Cari?" Calleo asked with a respectable yet slightly challenging tone. Cari slightly looked away as though thinking, to hide her smile.

 _Sigh_. "Very well then. If your _team_ \- meaning all three of you- defeat _all_ my dolls, reach the pyramid, and hit the buttons _simultaneously_ … _then_ I will fight you directly. Agreed?"

"Why all of us? I don't need the others to defeat you." Mallori remarked

"You're still exhausted, and I don't want an automatic win. I want some kind of work out if I'm gonna accept a challenge outside of ASC. Those are my rules… take it or leave it, doesn't matter to me either way." Cari finished with a shrug.

They regarded each other quickly before facing her and nodding as one, determination burning in their eyes.

Cari smirked _'they look equally determined … now the question is: will they be able to work as a team to even complete this mission?'_

"Good. Let's begin!" summoning her magic as she waved her hand around, 15 adult sized mechanical white mannequin-like dolls appeared around her. They were standing, but slightly slouching forward as though low on power.

 _Scoff_ "We already defeated mindless robots." Mallori said unimpressed

"They may look similar, but these aren't the same mindless robots you faced earlier." Cari held out a little remote and an ear piece. "These allow me to link my mind to each one of my dolls. It allows me to control them wirelessly and from a distance. Unlike Red Fountain's training bots, these aren't fully programmed; they mainly rely on me to do anything. That's why I said you will be fighting me in a sense."

She put the ear piece on, and then wove her magic into it and the remote in her hand, successfully activating the dolls. They quickly stood straight and changed color, from white to a dark green.

"Before we start any questions?" Cari asked as she slightly pushed herself off the ground, to float in the air.

"I have a couple." Calleo raised his hand. "I've never heard of machines such as those. Where did you get them?"

"O I've been testing them out for Tecna. She created them to help those who work in dangerous places, such as mines or underwater exertions. She asked me test them out in large scale circumstances as much as I can, to help perfect the program. Cool right?" Cari beamed

"Interesting…" Calleo looked genuinely interested in the dolls as he regarded them carefully, after a short moment he started again. "Now my next question… how will you know if one of use doesn't arrive at the pyramid first if you will be watching close by?" he asked.

"O I will be at the pyramid the whole time. Gotta make sure no one cheats." Cari teased with a wink, before answering the question she knew he was going to ask. "I can see everything through each doll. Whatever they see and feel will be reflected to me in real time, from that I will make the decision on how they will react. It's similar to splitting myself into 16 bodies, all under one mind."

"o ok" Calleo said with some reservation.

"Alright. Since there are no more questions… Good luck guys! I hope to see the three of you at the pyramid. O and there is no time limit! And remember my rules! Ready? Begin!"

With that Cari flew into the sky towards the pyramid as the dolls disappeared into the trees below them, leaving the three specialists alone on the tall hill.

"Someone is obviously having fun." Akira commented as she appeared as a bird beside the smiling fairy.

"I am. It's been a while since I played with my dolls like this… and I'm excited to win this bet!"

"A bet that will take time to determine the winner. Riven stated you would win if they became the best in Red Fountain. That takes a while to accomplish." The purple bird said as they landed on the pyramid.

Cari shrugged "I can be patient. Until then, I'm gonna have some fun with them."

"Then why have the dolls run _away_ from them? Shouldn't they -as you say- be beating them up now? That would've been the wisest course of action, instead of hunting them down after they had a chance to plan." Akira asked, as Cari shook her head.

"For two reasons… One: I want them to have a chance to talk to each other and kinda plan _something_. Even if its 'meet up at the base of the pyramid'... Second: to throw them off. I'm known for being random and spontaneous after all, can't be predictable now can I?" Cari said with a devious smile as she moved her dolls around and prepared to attack.

"I suppose you have a point." Akira mused as she saw the dolls begin their attack on the Specialists. "But are you not being too hard on them? The dolls are set to a fairly high level for their currently exhausted state."

"Maybe, but I want to test them. Riven said they can't or don't want to trust each other, that they are too different to come together as a real team… I think he's wrong. I think their completely different personalities are what will make them great. Misfits always work better together after all. And the only way to get them to realize that is to give them a common goal and then push them to their absolute limits… I wonder how far they get at this rate." Her blue eyes were alight with mirth as she watched them slowly get into defensive as she relentlessly attacked them.

.

So far they defeated 9 of her dolls, and in a good amount of time. They managed to destroy two dolls with a two person tag team, a bit sloppy but together nonetheless. She was glad they started taking her advice to heart, albeit only slightly but that's all she wanted… for now…a small step in the right direction.

Though Mallori was proving to be more stubborn than she thought, it didn't stop her from having her fun.

It wasn't long before they were down to the final two dolls. To find the remaining dolls, they slightly separated from each other. They weren't too far from each other, but they broke formation enough to leave themselves exposed. _'Bad move boys…'_

Cari forced one doll to give away her position, to draw Calleo to attack with his bow and arrows. At the sounds of his sudden attacks, Aiden looked back towards him, while Mallori stayed focused on the trees before him…he would soon find that he was looking in the wrong direction.

Taking the chance, she attacked Aiden's blindside with an attack strong enough stun him for a moment. Cari raised the doll's hand and began to summon up another energy blast, just enough to knock him without any damage. Before firing, she spoke through the doll:

"Looks like I won this game…"

Akira gasped in disbelief. "I can't believe this… it cannot be!"

Cari jumped up and down excitedly.

One would think she would be upset that all her dolls were now destroyed and she pretty much lost the game. But she couldn't contain her excitement at the sight of Mallori rushing to protect Aiden, blocking the blast just in time. Her excitement grew as Aiden quickly recovered and ran towards the doll to give it a finishing blow, while Calleo drew the doll's attention long enough with his plasma arrows for Aiden to land his attack.

It was the first time all three really teamed up to take down a target. They were a bit out of sync, but the fact that they worked together brought Cari absolute pride and excitement.

"I _told_ you Akira, they just needed a strong push! Now that they have tasted what it feels like to rely on each other they will begin to unconsciously crave it until it becomes second nature." Cari said trying to reign in her overwhelming joy in her defeat.

"You should probably stop looking so happy at your lose or they will suspect something." Akira commented to the excited fairy.

"I'm trying…" Cari said as she patiently waited for them to climb up the pyramid. She tried her best to look disappointed, but it was proving to be very difficult. _'I just hope they don't think too much of it…'_

When they managed to press the scattered buttons simultaneously, Cari let off some congratulatory fireworks.

"Congratulations! You have defeated my precious dolls and successfully completed the mission! I will now award you your prize." She smirked devilishly, her eyes blazing with power and excitement, as her hair glowed and waved with her flaming power. She could tell they were beyond exhausted. They shakily stood prepared for their battle against her _. 'Maybe I pushed them a bit_ too _far…'_ she internally shrugged as she continued "I will accept your team's challenge…" they stiffly switched to defensive stances. "... on another day." She finished as her fire snuffed out and she casually rested her hands on her hips.

"Wait. what?!" the three exclaimed in unison.

"We will spar on another day." Cari said with a smile

"Why not _now_? We went through _all that_ just so we fight you _now_!" Mallori exclaimed between labored breaths.

"Well, you guys took longer than I thought you would. And I have a class I need to get back for. It's mid-day, and I already gave up my lunch and free period for you guys, and I can't miss _this_ class. The teacher has a strict no tardy or skip policy." She replied with a shrug. She turned away to hide her small grin at the raven haired student's frustrated snarl.

"Tomorrow then." He huffed.

"Sorry, no can do. The earliest I can do is two days from now. I have an exam in two days I must prepare for, but once that's over I'll race here. Now thank you for the workout! It was a fun!" Cari said as the forest disappeared and she turned to skip out the door.

She didn't need to look back to know the three Specialists had collapsed to the floor. Pretending to not have heard them fall to their knees, she continued without looking back, not wanting to hurt their ridiculous male pride. This was the first step in becoming a real team and she didn't want to ruin their mood.

' _Show me how far your team can go Aiden…I can't wait to see it…'_

* * *

"So today's the day. Huh?" Lea asked

"Yupp." Cari responded with a pop.

"Aren't you excited? You've been wanting to see Aiden's team possible improvement since you last fought them a couple of days ago." Rosie said, noting Cari's slight lethargy

"I _am_ excited. I'm gonna really put them to the test today!"

"Then what's wrong? I would think you'd be jumping off the walls. I'm even surprised you gave them two days to plot against you." Lea said

"Well, they were beyond exhausted… and I want to fight them at full power; I don't want a guaranteed win. That's boring… I'm just… I-I can't decide whether to go at them at full power or not. Maybe I should _let_ them win today if they work together in the slightest bit… you know like reward the desired results… or should I just crush them regardless." Cari confessed, before resting her head on the table in between her folded arms.

Her friends looked at her in confusion. "Umm… you have never cared about your opponent's feelings before. Why now?" Lea asked

Cari mumbled something unintelligible against her arms.

"Umm… what?"

"She said: This is why she doesn't like teaching others. She is put in a position of conflict where normally she would just act on her own desires, not worrying about what _needs_ to be done so others can grow." Rosie replied with a smile.

"How in the world did you get all _that_ from those _noises_?" Lea asked

"I have learned 'Cari-speak'. You need to adapt to stay ahead of her sometimes." Rosie shrugged.

"I guess I'll need to learn it soon then. Anyway, wouldn't it be better to just to go all out on them? If you just lose on purpose and they find out it might have the opposite effect, right?" Lea started. "I mean I know that's how I would feel…"

"How do you mean?" Rosie asked

"Well, I kinda get why they aren't getting along so well right now. I mean, if _I_ was suddenly forced into a team of the school's 'rejects' or 'misfits', and was expected to immediately trust them… on top of being treated as children - getting 'candy' when you act the way the adults _want_ you to- would make me very suspicious and want to reject those team members regardless of how perfect we are together… They might also be in on the adult's plan for all I know. No one liked to be played with or manipulated; I would rather do things _my_ way… So I can see why they would be reluctant to trust each other right off the bat. They each seem to have a past they are trying to bury… If they don't figure out that it's okay to trust someone else, this time, on their own… then they _never_ will. If you go easy on them because you want them to get along, then they will definitely think there is some ulterior motive going on. So, I say: go all out. If they fail miserably they will want to at least come up with a plan to get the better of you next time. But if you let them win they are going to figure out you threw the match. I think if you really want them to team up then become the goal they want to fight and claw for, give them a seemingly unattainable goal to strive for. They will figure out they can't do it on their own sooner or later… just give them _time_ and a _reason_ to bring you down."

"Lea is right Cari. If they lose horribly or even barely, they will ask for a rematch until they succeed in defeating you. They each seem to be pretty prideful and losing to a fairy will not sit well with them." Rosie said

Cari looked up with a smile, no longer looking conflicted. "I'm so lucky to have you guys. I know what to do now, and I hope they are ready to taste utter defeat!" She jumped up in her deceleration.

"Now _that's_ the competitive fairy we know and love!" Lea exclaimed getting excited right alongside her.

"Do make sure you don't hurt them _too_ much." Rosie said, even though her caramel eyes were glowing with excitement and encouragement.

"Say, you guys want to come with me? If they push themselves too hard maybe you can help me in healing?" Cari asked shyly.

"We would love to go with you, Cari." Rosie answered confidently, as Lea nodded.

"When do you need to head over?" Lea asked.

"Right after class."

"Girl that was 15 minutes ago…" Lea asked looking at the time on her phone

Cari rubbed the back of her head sheepishly "I know… I kinda told them I had an exam today… and since I was still debating on how to fight I thought it was ok if I was bit… late…"

"Well, at least you will be able to fight without any hesitations now." Rosie said with an understanding smile.

"Yea! So let's get going so you aren't any later!" Lea exclaimed as they turned to head out the Alfea gates.

.

"You guys ready?!" Cari exclaimed as she stood before Aiden, Calleo, and Mallori in the simulator once again.

She tried to ignore the frustration radiating off Mallori. Sure she was a bit late, but she could've been later if they had waited for the bus instead of flying here. Once they arrived, Lea and Rosie were soon introduced to the team and were watching with Riven and Timmy in the control room.

"Whenever you are, Ms. Cari." Aiden responded for the team.

"Awesome. Would you guys like to choose the playing field or shall I?"

They regarded each other for a moment before Aiden spoke out again "We choose The Rocky Forest Terrain."

Cari smirked before she nodded up at the control room. It only took a moment before they were in the desired terrain.

The fairy looked around and evaluated the area. _'Lots of large rocks and tall trees… good cover and hiding places. But I'm surprised they wouldn't choose the valley… this uneven ground will make it hard to keep their footing… it's no problem for me, flying will be my advantage… hopefully, no one twists an ankle or something…_ '

' _Well, assuming they thought this through we should be careful, Aiden_ is _a part of this team and no one knows you better than he.'_ Akira commented, to which Cari internally nodded her agreement.

"Interesting choice of location. I hope you guys are not underestimating me…" she said with a smirk.

"Not at all Ms. Cari" Calleo replied with confidence "To underestimate you would be disrespectful, and I am sure you can show the same curtsey." Cari smiled at the witty Prince.

"You read my mind, Calleo. Now since it is three against one shall we even the playing field and make it three on three?" Cari asked the specialists.

"Is that why those fairies came with you?" Mallori asked, looking as bored as always.

The red head giggled "No. As much fun as it would be to have a fight of fairies versus Specialists. I do not believe we are ready for that just yet. And besides, you only challenged _me_ did you not? I was thinking of using two dolls to fight on my team… to make things a bit more fun. You can say no, I don't mind it being 3 versus 1. What do you say?"

The Specialists looked at each other for a moment, before Mallori scoffed and answered. "We will have the advantage, either way, I'll allow it."

Cari smirked _'If only they_ talked _amongst each other first, Aiden might've convinced them otherwise… Mallori just guaranteed their defeat. This is going to be funny.'_

' _Do go slightly easy on them Cari. They_ are _still learning after all…'_ Akira warned

' _Nonsense, they are the kind who will only learn through experience… and I'm here to give it to them… albeit a painful one… but an experience nonetheless… no holding back…'_ Cari ignored the concern radiating off her inner dragon

"Thank you, Mallori! Now…" Cari summoned her two dolls and powered them on. She chose not to change their coloring and left them white this time. "Timmy start the countdown, please!" She exclaimed. In that moment a large projection of the word 'READY' appeared between them. The Specialists jumped back a few feet while Cari walked forward a few feet to stand in front of her dolls.

'SET'

'GO!'

Mallori was the first to attack. He ran straight towards Cari, obviously prepared for hand to hand combat. She blocked his first punches as he did her's.

Through the link of her dolls, she saw that the other two were circling around to attack them while she was preoccupied. _'I don't think so…'_ She ordered them to get on the offensive and attacked them accordingly.

Calleo attacked with his curved phantoblade, but the doll was easily able to block his swings and soon had him on the defensive forcing him back and away from his teammates.

Aiden was able to keep up with the doll he faced. Neither was backing down, but the rocky terrain made it slightly harder to keep it up.

Cari kept Mallori's attention solely on her. But the more she thought about it the more she realized that he didn't care how his fellow teammates were fairing. _'It will be harder to change his thought process…'_

After a few minutes, she saw that there was no change in anyone's fighting… it was getting boring… ' _time to shake things up…'_

"I see you haven't been working on your stamina, Mallori. I can already see you breathing heavily… or is that because you are holding back? I could've sworn that you were fiercer when we first met…" Cari teased as she danced away from his punches. She was glad that she was able to hide how much strain it was for her to look completely unaffected by their intense fight or uneven footing.

"If you want to be hurt so much then I will happily oblige!" He pulled out his twin phantoblades and charged at her once again. Smiling she covered her arms with her flaming armor, sharpening it around her hands to blades while making sure the heat was dull enough to be ignored.

Surprisingly enough, they each matched blade to blade, neither receiving any cuts. "Impressive… but I wonder how much longer you will last…" Cari teased as she pushed him farther.

Meanwhile, the doll that fought against Calleo was moments away from striking the Specialist down. Sure, he was skilled with the blade but not enough to last a long time in battle against a skilled doll who didn't feel any pain in the blows it received. Unfortunately for him, the terrain was his downfall in that moment. A loose rock slid from underneath his foot and as he stumbled backwards the doll quickly disarmed him. Seeing that Calleo was completely defenseless, Cari ordered the doll to knock him out.

' _One down, two to-'_ Before the doll made contact Cari sensed it was destroyed. Looking through the remaining doll's eyes, she saw that Aiden had thrown his phantoblade at Calleo's doll, and was now only using his shield against the remaining doll. _'Nice thinking… but you left yourself open for attack…'_

Seeing he was distracted enough, the doll aimed threw a powerful kick to Aiden's exposed left side knocking him on his back, then quickly aimed an attack as he lay defenseless on the ground. But before it made contact the doll looked up when it sensed danger and saw a barrage of plasma arrows coming towards it.

Looking back Cari saw Calleo destroyed her last doll while protecting Aiden. Her excitement grew at the sight. Unfortunately, it distracted her enough for Mallori to cut her side. Jumping back she looked at the cut and saw it wasn't very deep to cause concern.

' _If you are pleased with minor results then you might as well throw in the towel now. Especially, if you won't pay attention to the annoyance in front of you.'_ Akira scolded.

' _Sorry. But at least Aiden and Calleo are starting to work together… now let's see if we can push them some more…'_ Cari responded as she charged at Mallori with new vigor.

As she charged the raven haired specialists pushed off a rock to gain speed to counter her attack. Soon he was using the larger rocks to gain momentum. _'Now I see why they choose this terrain… pushing off the surrounding rocks allows him to reach even higher speeds… clever… I wonder who thought of that one… if anyone else this would be very effective… too bad I'm just as fast as he is…'_

Using his same method Cari pushed off the closest rock and soon they were matching blades at alarming speeds.

It took some real effort and wit but Cari was soon able to overwhelm him. She forced the blades out of his hands and they resumed hand to hand combat.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Calleo and Aiden were standing back looking confused on what to do. _'Hmm… well looks like they are afraid to hurt their teammate's feelings if they get involved. Well, who am I to leave them out of the party…'_ At that, she threw multiple fire blasts at them in between the kicks and punches to Mallori.

"Shouldn't you only be focused on me?" he hissed at her.

"Aww. Are you concerned for your teammates? Well, you _shouldn't_ be. As I recall the _three_ of you challenged me together… I can't win if you are the _only_ one to be defeated… might as well knock out the other two while I'm at it." Cari said in between punches.

"What makes you think you will be victorious?" He replied between blocking.

"Because…" The fairy jumped high above the Specialist and continued her attacks in the air, directing him to the more uneven part of the rocky terrain. "I am more aware of my surroundings." She smirked when he stumbled. She threw an attack, aiming to knock him out.

Before she could confirm her blast made contact, she was forced to fly higher when multiple arrows came at her from behind. Automatically she threw a blast towards the area the arrows came.

Looking back down, she was shocked to see Aiden had blocked her attack with his shield. He was standing in front of an equally shocked Mallori.

Not wanting them to regroup she charged down at them while continuously throwing energy blasts down at them. Hoping one would at least weaken the defenseless Mallori.

She was slightly annoyed yet pleased to see that Calleo was giving them support from a safe distance while Aiden shielded them from the rest.

Soon enough they manipulated her attacks enough to recover Mallori's twin blades. Once back in his hands the two Specialists jumped away from each other.

Realizing they surrounded her, she was curious to see their next step.

She flew down closer to the ground when Calleo shot a large barrage of arrows towards her and blocking her from gaining altitude. But when she was close enough to the ground Aiden and Mallori took the chance to simultaneously attack her from either side. Smiling she jumped back at the last possible moment and held in a giggle when they bumped and tangled with each other.

Now that they were both in front of her she threw a few fire blasts to distract them enough for her to get closer. Once at the desired distance she attacked their blades and shield and hit them away and far behind them.

Not taking a glance back, they both took her on in hand-to-hand combat.

Since they were so close to her and were constantly moving Cari knew Calleo wouldn't be able to get a clear shot of her. _'They forgot about their archer's support… oo well better for me…'_

Noticing their attacks were mismatched it was easier to block and counter than she expected. She was even able to have them block each other in her stead at times.

Getting bored she noticed Calleo climbing off the rocks he previously hid in… trying to reach him teammate's weapons. _'Good plan… but no point in getting their weapons if they're knocked out…'_

Making sure her back was to Calleo, she waited a moment longer… giving them a chance to realize what their teammate was trying to do… when neither noticed Cari grabbed both their wrists before jumping over them to throw them hard against a couple of nearby trees, knocking the air out of their lungs. Before they recovered from their daze, she knocked them both out with an energy blast.

As she moved to turn and face the remaining specialist, Cari was shocked to see a plasma arrow fly right by her face. She was honestly impressed and shocked that he managed to slightly singe her hair.

Her shock quickly disappeared as she turned around and threw an extremely large fire blast at him.

He was clever enough to send a large number of plasma arrows down the middle of the blast in hopes to lessen or disrupt the blow. But he soon realized he needed more arrows and power to make a significant difference.

Even though the strength was diminished, the blast still had enough power behind it to throw him sharply back against a rock and knocked him out.

"Game over."

.

"Did you _have_ to put Calleo in flames to win?" Riven asked as he entered the simulator.

 _Gasp_. "How cruel. My own teacher thinks I'm so heartless." Cari feigned hurt before moving the three Specialists to lay side by side as the rocky terrain disappeared.

Rosie was quickly by their side healing any injuries they had.

"Call 'em how I see 'em." He replied kneeling down to check on his students as well. Shocked to see they barely had any injuries.

"Psh as if I would _actually_ harm them. I only knocked them out. The only thing really hurt is probably their pride and my dolls." Cari sighed as she glanced at the remains of her precious dolls.

"Well it's not like they could've knocked out your dolls." Lea said with a smirk.

"Technically, if you knock out Cari then the dolls go down with her." Rosie commented without looking up.

Lea raised a questioning eyebrow at Cari, who shrugged. "Maybe. No one has knocked me out while I was linked with the dolls before, but when is Rosie ever _really_ wrong."

"True. But still why such a large attack on poor Calleo?" Lea wondered.

"It only _looked_ big, mainly to scared him. The force behind it was the same as one of my hard hitting punches, which he toned down when he sent those arrows through the middle, which was a pretty smart move if it were anything else besides a fireball. The flames just filled in the hole he created; if he was fast enough or not scared of the flames then his plan could've worked. And the heat was very mild, enough to confirm it wasn't an illusion."

"Are you sure the force was that low? He did knock out when it made contact…" Lea asked slightly concerned

"I'm sure. Technically the blast alone wasn't enough to knock him out, I'm pretty sure it was hitting the rock the way he did that knocked him out or he just fainted." Cari replied with a shrug.

"Wow. I'm surprised you actually thought things through." Riven commented

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Cari snapped, making her friends giggle in response.

"So what are you going to do with them now?" Lea asked changing the subject.

"I guess wait for them to wake up? How are they looking Rosie?" Cari asked, wondering if she may have hit them too hard.

"No major injuries. Just a few cuts and bruises, they should wake up soon enough." The brunette responded with a smile. "They might be a bit sore with slight headaches but I can help with that. Would you two like to help me?" Rosie asked as her hands glowed, with her healing magic, over Aiden.

"You know I'm not very good at healing…" Cari said crossing her arms.

"More reason to practice. Heal Mallori he requires the least amount of care, and you could always have Akira help you." Rosie said, giving Cari no reason to protest.

 _Sigh_. "If he gets worse, it's not my fault…" the redhead mumbled as she knelt down beside Mallori and began healing.

"You'll be fine, girl. At least you don't have the pressure of healing a prince." Lea smirked with a wink before her own hands began glowing.

' _Akira a little help, please?'_ She asked as she closed her eyes and focused on her control.

' _Certainly_.' Her inner dragon wove her own magical healing powers through Cari, giving the fairy the control she needed.

A short moment later, the Specialists began to stir.

Through her magic, Cari felt Mallori starting to awaken. She lowered her hands as she opened her eyes and slightly leaned over to look down expectantly. "Hey, you awake now?"

His eyes slowly opened, they locked eyes for a moment before he suddenly sat up, sharply hitting their heads together in the process. "OW! What was _that_ for?!" Cari exclaimed holding her head in pain.

"What were YOU doing to ME?" He exclaimed back as he pressed his hand against the bump of his forehead.

"Argh! I was just _healing_ you! Since you were stupid enough to get knocked out!" Cari yelled but soon froze. _'What's this feeling…?'_

"Why?" he whispered, only loud enough for Cari to hear.

"Huh?" his voice shook her from her daze, forgetting about the sore spot on her forehead. She saw that he looked just as dazed as she felt, but she chalked it up to his headache getting worse because of their collision. _'Did I not heal him enough?'_ "You ok?"

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder to which Mallori quickly jumped to his feet and stared down at her "I'm fine."

Cari just nodded. They continued to stare at each other before Riven loudly cleared his throat, making both students jump.

"So now that everyone is awake, it would be a good time to give us your thoughts on today's spar. Wouldn't you agree?" Riven told Cari in a teasing manner.

"Oo yea, I forgot about that. It must've slipped my mind…" She said glancing towards Calleo and Aiden who were starting to stand up.

"How do you forget about something like that?" Mallori mumbled. Cari shook her head before turning to glare at him as she jumped to her feet.

"Hmm… What _did_ I learn by _knocking_ them out? … Ah! I remember now…" Cari said casually, ignoring Mallori's glares.

"Cari…" Rosie gently chided beside Aiden.

 _Humph_. "Fineee..." Cari took a deep breath before continuing in a calm tone. "Compared to the last fight… there was actual hope in you three getting _close_ to beating me… _maybe_ … either way hopefully next time there will be more fun…" the fairy smirked as she turned and casually walked out the simulator.

* * *

 **Hello Everyone,**

 **I'm so glad I finally got to post this chapter... it took me longer to proofread than I thought... _**

 **But I do hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! I know I am! ;-)**

 **O and a little news: I will be going on Vacation next week soon so I don't know when I will be able to post next... I will try to post before I leave but no promises... But I promise to write when I can so I can at least post the next chapter as soon as I get back!**

 **Well, hope you all are enjoying your summer so far! Stay safe and have fun!**

 **Special thanks to Skylar, Mia, and everyone who takes the time to comment! You guys give me the motivation to post faster! XD**

 **Love**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Hey Cari what cha doing? Homework?" Lea asked, placing her lunch down beside Rosie before sitting down.

"Nope." She replied with a pop. "I'm thinking of new traps and pranks…"

"Nice. For who? Mimi? I hope so, She's been a bigger pain in the butt than normal recently." Lea said looking around for said bully.

"Naw, I wouldn't waste this much _thinking_ on someone like her."

"Then who are you going to torture?" Lea asked as she looked down at Cari's sketches. Ranging from cages to stick figures being pinned upside-down.

"Aiden and his team." Cari beamed.

"Umm… I thought you loved Aiden… why would you want to...uh... throw him... off a cliff…?" Lea asked as she saw the last drawing on the page.

"If he gets caught then that's his fault for being careless. And besides, he'll be safe… I'll tie him to a bungee cord or something before he falls off…" Cari said with a smile

"Umm… I still don't get it… why are you doing all this? Did they prank you during your last challenge or something? Speaking of which, how many challenges have you accepted anyway?" Lea asked.

"This will be the sixth challenge this month." Rosie replied casually.

"Wow. I'm surprised you accepted that many… then again it _is_ Aiden we're talking about. But I still don't get why you're pranking them… aren't you only supposed to win? Not torture them?" Lea asked.

"Well, I _was…_ but Rosie said that knocking them out so often is bad for their health or something…"

"Not healthy for anyone..." Rosie added

"so she suggested to fight until they couldn't anymore." Cari continued ignoring the added comment. "But fighting until they are physically unable is soooo booorriinnnggg~."

"Better than giving them lasting head injuries." Rosie added.

" _That's_ why I started thinking about other ways to win… then I remembered: the rules state to win my opponents need to be rendered unconscious or completely immobile… soooo I figured if they are completely restrained or trapped it will count as my win. But they started figuring out my usual traps so I need to come up with some new _creative_ ones… ones that will be harder to find or get out of." Cari said looking at her sketches

"Ahh. So that's why you are going to push them off cliffs. I guess that will give you a win without giving them 'brain damage'… Unless _that's_ the reason why they're stupid to still not want to work together." Lea arched a questioning brow.

Cari glanced at Rosie slightly concerned. "No, Cari, that is not the case. Lea is only teasing you. But make sure when they hang off the cliff it's _not_ upside down."

The redhead sighed in slight disappointment "Ok, I won't." making a note in her book.

"So when's the next challenge?" Lea asked

"Tomorrow." Cari replied as she made a note in her book.

"On a Saturday? Someone's a hard worker." Lea said with a smirk.

"Anything for Aiden…" Cari said.

"What _about_ Aiden?"

The three friends looked up and groaned at the sight of the long dark haired girl.

"Hello Mimi. How are you today?" Rosie said with a forced smile.

"I want to know why Aiden's heavenly name left Calida Cari's _cursed_ lips. That should _never_ happen. Why _are_ you thinking about him anyway? You better not be trying to curse him or anything."

"What does it matter to you, Mimi? Are you that petty to just complain about _anything_ now? What's next? We can't say 'fairy' anymore?" Lea said

"Of course anything concerning my future _husband_ is my business." Mimi said in a haughty voice.

 _Scoff_ "Are you _sure_ about that?" Cari asked as she began to doodle in her book again.

Mimi's face quickly flushed. "Of course I am _sure_! He will ask me out any day now. I have you know that he has been talking to me _every_ day; we have gotten to know each other very well in the past few months."

"Are you sure it's not you who is just _stalking_ him and _forcing_ him to listen to your pointless rants every day? That's _not_ getting to know each other. You should probably take a lesson in body language or in taking hints." Cari said in a cold tone.

Lea started laughing at Mimi's reddening face. "You saw it! Didn't you, Cari!? Lucky! Wait… have you been moody this week because he _rejected_ you?"

"No one has _ever_ rejected _me_ before!"

"Until _now_." Lea said while staring the bully down.

Before Mimi could explode, Cari stood up. "Let's get going … class is about to start."

"Agreed." Rosie said. Lea nodded and stood beside her friends.

"I-I'm warning you Calida Cari! Don't go anywhere near Aiden! He's _mine_!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Unfortunately for you, Mimi, I tend to do as I want." Cari replied without looking back, ignoring her incoherent protests.

"Dam girl its been awhile since you talked to the witch like that." Lea said with a proud smile

"Yea well… I don't want people thinking that Aiden would be interested in someone like _her_ …" Cari responded with a shrug.

"Awww how cute! Your MBC is showing again!" Lea teased as Cari blushed

"Now Lea don't tease her so much." Rosie softly said, before turning to Cari. "So since you have the match with the boys tomorrow… what are you going to do today Cari?"

"Master Vajran asked me to help him test out some new stuff he's been working on… do you guys wanna come?"

"I'm sorry but I have some projects that I want to finish tonight." Rosie said with a slight frown.

"And I kinda have a gig in a couple hours." Lea said

"A gig? I want to go. Why didn't you tell us?" Cari asked dejected

"Well it's more of an audition than I gig… I was planning on telling you guys if it panned out…" Lea said with a slight blush.

"I'm sure you will do very well Lea. You have exceptional musical talent." Rosie smiled as Cari nodded her agreement

"Thanks guys! I'll tell you about tonight. But until then have fun breaking stuff Cari! Don't forget to include me next time." Lea winked

"I will! Say wanna take the bus into town together? I'm leaving right after class."

"Sure. I was going to leave around that time too. Want us to bring you back anything Rosie?"

"Some sweets would be nice." Rosie said without hesitation.

"Sweets for the sweetie!" Lea winked at the brunette and made all three laughed as they walked to their next class.

….

After parting ways with Lea, Cari casually walked down the shopping district with Akira perched on her shoulder.

"What kind of weapon do you think Master made this time?" Cari asked

"Perhaps it is a defensive weapon this time?… he did seem fairly interested in Aiden's shei-" the fairy and bird paused at the sudden loud voice coming from the alley beside them.

"Do you understand me, Calleo?! I will not accept your failures anymore!"

"Calleo?" Cari walked down the alley as she followed the voice. A few feet in she saw the Specialist on a hologram call, his back turned to her.

"I understand father. I will do better." The fairy was saddened to hear him sound so emotionless and distant.

"Don't make promises you are unable to keep Calleo. You should be at the top of your class by now! So stop lazing around and actually use your brain for once. _Sigh_. I do hope you cease in being such a disappointment." The line cut off and Calleo stood there stiff and sullen for a moment before lowering his hand.

 _Sigh_ "Yes Father…"

"No! He's wrong!" Cari angrily exclaimed exposing her presence.

Calleo spun around, shock and embarrassment etched on his face at the sight of the fairy. He looked away after he slightly regained his composure.

"Cari…" Akira softly tweeted on the fairy's ear. "that was a _private_ conversation…"

The red head arched a brow before her cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "O my gosh! I'm so sorry Calleo! I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I was just walking by and I heard someone yell out your name… and curiosity got the better of me and…. I'm so sorry!" she quickly exclaimed.

After a moment of extended awkward silence, she debated on what to do. Should she walk away and pretend this never happened? No. Should she crack a joke? Give him a hug? All she knew was that she didn't want to leave him looking so sad and dejected.

Before she could make a decision he spoke:

"I… apologize that you had to hear that Ms. Cari. I didn't expect my father to be so… vocal today…" Calleo softly finished, still refusing to make eye contact.

' _This isn't the first time… nor will it be the last, is it?_ ' Cari couldn't stop herself from telling him what she honestly thought: "He's wrong you know… you are by far _any_ disappointment _or_ failure… I personally know how much work you put into your training and, I can only imagine, you are just as determined and skilled in your studies. You're an _amazing_ person, Calleo, and your father must be stupid and blind not see that…" She honestly believed that and she hoped that he would believe it too.

Calleo stared in complete shock at her smiling, confident face. _'She doesn't seem to be lying… but she might be…'_

After a moment Cari started to see the doubt drown out the shock and slight hope she saw in his eyes. Not wanting the doubt to stay, she stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm headed to help a friend out. Why don't you come with me? It'll be fun."

"Umm… I don't think-" he was cut off when Cari grabbed his hand and swiftly lead him back to the main street.

"I won't take no for an answer! You're coming with me and we are going to have fun getting rid of our frustrations!" She said as she continued to drag him down the street until they reached the Armor Store. Without pausing or giving him a chance to escape she quickly pushed through the door, making the little bell ring on the door.

Calleo looked on in amazement at all the different types of weapons and shields the, seemingly small and uninteresting, store held. He had never seen such a variety or quality all in one place before.

Confident that he wouldn't run off while her back was turned, Cari slightly leaned on the counter in the back of the store before calling out.

"Hey! Old man! I'm here!"

"I may be old but my hearing is just fine you know." the blacksmith mockingly glared at the fairy before noticing Calleo a few feet behind her.

"O sorry are you a customer?"

"Nope, he's with me. He's gonna help _me_ , help _you_." Cari said with a smirk before she introduced them. "Master Vajran meet Calleo. Calleo meet Master Vajran. You can just call him 'Master' for short." She told the specialist before turning back to the blacksmith. "He's on Aiden's team… you remember Aiden, right? That freshie I brought here last time." Cari said with a wink.

"O yes. The promising and polite young lad. How is he doing? I hope that shield is working out for him."

"He's fine. Still, has a long way to go, but that shield has already saved him a couple times."

"Already going out on missions I see."

"Nope, just constantly battling me." Cari said with a smile. The blacksmith laughed.

"Well, then I'm glad he got it when he did. Now let's head on out before it gets dark. It didn't help that you're late." the blacksmith said with a teasing tone.

"You're late? I'm sorry Ms. Cari. It was my fault you were late" Calleo said as he slightly hung his head.

"Don't be ridiculous. You didn't make me late Calleo. I would've been late anyway, I'm almost never on time" Cari giggled as master fondly rolled his eyes

"It's true young man. Make sure her bad habits don't rub off on you" he finished with a wink before pointing to the two large sacks on the floor beside the counter.

"Now why don't you two each grab one so we can head out… I've got quite a few new things I want you to try out. I hope you are prepared young man." Master said with a smirk as he led the way through the door behind the counter.

…

"Umm… May I ask: how you have access to a portal to the outskirts of town? Not many are allowed such privilege…" Calleo asked as he took in the valley around him. It looked like a battlefield; many scorch marks, dummies and even small craters littered the ground. _'Was there a huge battle out here?'_ he wondered to himself.

"O Master knows Headmistress Faragonda and Hagen. He was even Hagen's apprentice when he was _much_ younger. And when he moved here he always used test his weapons in the shop 'til his neighbors started complaining of the noise and fires. Since it would take him too long, being old and out of shape," Cari teasingly winked at the blacksmith. "to walk out here, a compromise was offered. A portal to this area where he can test his weapons all and any time he likes. With the headmistress and Hagen vouching for him, the compromise was agreed on and here we are now!" She finished with a bright smile.

"I… see…" the young specialist nodded as he placed the bag he was asked to carry down beside Cari's.

"Well, then now that the history lesson is over. Let's get started. Cari would you like to choose the first one?" Master said as he leaned back on a worn but comfortable looking chair, a notebook and pen on the small table beside it.

"Sure!" She dug through the bags and pulled out something she was satisfied with before turning to the Specialist. "You will go first Calleo."

"Umm… I would prefer to follow your lead Ms. Cari. Since I am unclear of how we are to proceed."

"Psh. It's easy." She said as she held out the large rectangular shield and flew to the opposite end of the valley, she hung it securely on the arm of a dummy to stand properly before she flew back. "All you have to do is throw your best attacks at _that_ shield." She told him pointing to the shield in the distance.

"Is there a point to this? Or a requirement that must be done?" Calleo asked already calculating the distance and wind.

Cari shrugged "We are testing Master's weapons. He likes to make sure they are up to par. All you have to do is attack it and I guess try to make a dent? But mainly have fun!" Cari said with a smile as she stepped back to give him room to work. She went to stand beside the blacksmith and patiently waited.

"So what reason do you have for bringing that young prince with you?" Master asked as they watched Calleo pull back his bow's string and carefully aim.

"What makes you think he's a prince?"

"I'm old, child, not blind… his posture and tone gave him away and you royals always give off this presence that's easy to spot if you're experienced enough…"

Cari shrugged accepting his answer "He was feeling down and what better way to cheer someone up than with breaking your stuff?" She finished with a wink as he chuckled while shaking his head.

Noticing Calleo finished his attacks, she bounced over to him with a smile. "That was a pretty good shot Calleo. Not a single arrow missed."

"Thank you. Is that all for this test?" He asked glancing at the unfazed shield.

"Nope. Now we're gonna play my favorite game." Cari smirked.

"Umm… I don't understand. A game?" He asked slightly confused.

"Yup. A game. I want you to picture someone you are frustrated with or has wronged you. Imagine they are _that dummy_ behind the shield and beat it up. Whether that be just throwing attack after attack or even yelling at it. The point of the game is to get that dummy to physically feel what you are feeling, and the only way to do that is to break the shield standing in your way. You can get closer to it if you want, but you need to go all out." Cari told the confused specialist.

"Yelling at it? How will that be productive in testing it?" Calleo asked

"Yelling will raise your emotional and adrenaline levels resulting in stronger attacks." Still giving her a confused look Cari added: "It's a _special_ training method I was taught. Just give it a try."

"I… still don't understand…"

' _Ok… if logic won't get him out of his box then hopefully this will…'_

"Say Calleo… how did it make you feel when your father insulted you today? Did it hurt? Were you upset? Why didn't you tell him what you really thought? Why did you back down? Why didn't you stand up for yourself? Are you that _weak_? Are you that _childish_?" Cari's smirked as she saw the pain, anger and humiliation dance through his eyes. When he started trembling with rage, she had to rein back her triumphant grin… _'Now just one more little push…'_ "You know, I'm surprised he yelled at you knowing that you were out in public. It was as though he _wanted_ a little fairy to see you down and weak. Like isn't he supposed to _support_ you? He _is_ your _father_ after all. But he's probably right…. I mean just a few mean words from him and now you can't even properly attack a _weak_ shield on a _dummy_ no less. I thought you had more control than that… No wonder your team isn't doing so well yet. _Sigh_. How sad… no… How _disappointing_ …" Cari said slowly as she dramatically shrugged and yawned, she slightly looked away looking bored and waited for his response.

"You barely know me! How can _you_ say I'm a disappointment!? I'll show you a _disappointment_! You want me to attack that stupid shield then so be it!" Calleo drew his bow once again and aimed.

Cari happily floated back to stand by Master again and brightly smiled. "Did you _have_ to push him so hard? You might frighten him off instead of earning his trust." The blacksmith commented as they watched Calleo attack with so much power and determination it was frightening.

"He needed to release all those feelings he has been storing inside himself for who knows how long." She replied slightly shocked at the strength behind the young student's attacks. _'Seems he's been bottling up more than I thought…'_

"Why do you care? Are you doing all this _just_ because he's on Aiden's team?" Cari shook her head.

"It's not that... Just when I saw him today… the face he made… I remember making that face when I couldn't handle the whole 'Am I really a daughter of Erakleyon' debate. I bottled everything up and kept it locked up while hiding behind a fake smile… until it affected the control I had on my powers and my temper. Because I didn't find a release in time _that_ happened. I don't something like that to happen to him… to anyone… no one deserves to feel that fear… that guilt." She had a slightly sad smile. "So I thought maybe this will be a good outlet for him. If he learns to use his emotions for his benefit and release instead of as a weakness… then I'm sure he will become a great Specialist and an equally great friend to others." Cari confidently said.

"I am glad there are some royals out there who are compassionate and empathetic as you, young one. As I told you before… you are one of a kind and I'm sure you will change the universe. If you can change _my_ stubborn mind on trusting people, especially royals, then I wonder what else you can change for the better." He said with wonder in his voice.

"I'm not that great…" she doubtfully mumbled

Master shrugged. "Regardless, you have a good heart and head. And don't forget: if you ever need anything: be it a blacksmith or a friend I will be there for you. _You_ have my loyalty." Master patted the fairy on the head who smiled and nodded her understanding.

After that, they both paid close attention to the Specialist on the field.

It almost broke her heart to see and hear such sadness, pain, and loneliness coming from him. _'He needs this team to work just as much as Aiden does…'_

They both watched impressed as he let out his final attack and were not fazed by the sudden rush of air that came with it.

"Shall we?" Cari asked Master offering her hand to fly them over together.

"Don't drop me, you hear?" he smirked as he confidently took her hand.

"Only on purpose." she giggled as she wove her magic around them and quickly flew to where Calleo stood panting heavily, still glaring at his target. "Great job! You really went all out!" she turned to the shield that was now broken into three pieces on top of a destroyed dummy. "Looks like you need to work on your shield Master." She teased the old man.

"Back to the drawing board." he mumbled as he analyzed the broken shield and took detailed notes.

The fairy warmly smiled as she noticed Calleo blink rapidly as he came back to the present. "I-I am so sorry! I didn't mean to break it! I-I…" he exclaimed in a panic, nervously looking between the shield, the blacksmith, and the fairy.

"What are you talking about? You did a great job! It was perfect!" Cari beamed.

"P-perfect? But … I b-broke it… wasn't it new?" he asked confused.

"Yea he just made it. The fact that it broke means it wasn't ready to protect someone. Now thanks to you Master can make it better so next time it _can_ protect its wielder properly. Remember we're _testing_ these weapons… if they can't keep it together in a _test_ then they shouldn't be used in a _real_ battle." Cari said as she gave the stunned Specialist a swift pat on the back.

"She's right." Master said "I _want_ you to try to break my weapons. I only sell the top notch of my creations; if they break easily then I don't want _anyone_ handling them in battle. I strive to protect as many people I can. Since I don't have the physical skills you have I need to make do with what I _do_ have, which happen to be my hands. They can make the tools _needed_ for a Specialist like you to save a life. So I hope you can continue to help Cari break my stuff." Master said with a bright smile and a strong pat to Calleo's back that made him stumble forward a bit.

"umm…"

Master smile brightened "So how was it? Did you have fun?"

Calleo nodded "It was more liberating than I thought… and if you would have me I would love to continue helping you." the young Specialist nervously said

"Yay! Come on Cal! Let's go break more stuff!" Cari giggled as she bounced over to rummage through the bags they brought.

"'C-cal'?" The young Specialist wondered out loud.

"hmm… impressive. Cari doesn't accept people very fast." Master commented beside Calleo

"H-how do you figure that she has accepted me, Master?"

"She only gives those she considers a close friend or family a nickname. Not to mention for her to introduce you to me alone is a big step… you see, I don't trust many people, the ones I do I can count on my hands. But since she trusts you I'll give you the same courtesy." Master laughed

"Why would you trust me so fast just because she does?"

"I'll tell you one day! But first, why don't we get out of the way before Cari starts having _her_ fun."

Cari was flying over with a couple weapons in her arms. She switched out the broken shield for another and she held a long sword in her hand.

"You guys gonna stay there and get covered in dirt?" she asked with a smirk as she enveloped the blade in her flames.

Master laughed as he grabbed Cal's arm and ran off the field and back to his chair.

Seeing they were a good distance away she faced the shield and swung down the flaming sword as hard as she could.

…

"Ms. Cari?"

The fairy looked back as she hummed her acknowledgment to Cal, who was staring at the ground as they walked toward the bus station to head back to school after they stopped by a small bakery to get a box of sweets. When he didn't say anything she decided to give him some encouragement.

"What's up Cal?"

He finally looked up and locked eyes with her. "I just wanted to… apologize for my behavior… my umm… outburst… earlier. And to thank you for today. It meant a lot to me, so thank you Ms. Cari." He finished with a slight nod.

She smiled "No problem, I'm glad you had fun. And I'm sorry I said those mean things before, I didn't mean them at all I was just trying to get you to come out of your shell… to you know vent." She rubbed the back of her neck in slight embarrassment.

Cal shook his head. "I know you didn't mean it. And it really did help me in the end. So I thank you again Ms. Cari."

"I told you Cal, you can just call me 'Cari'. No need to be so formal, it's not like we're in front of the royal court or anything. So you can relax, be yourself… I know I will." She finished with a wink.

He returned the smile… a bit hesitantly but it was still bright and warm. The first genuine smile she's seen. "Thank you Ms… I mean, _C_ _ari_ … I do believe you might be the first to notice my insecurities." He quickly covered his mouth at the realization of what he just blurted out.

"Nor will I be the last…" she winked

"I highly doubt that." he said with a weary smile. "Not many are willing to see past the 'perfect prince' mask."

"You would be surprised who would want to get to know the real Cal. I bet some are trying even now..."

Before he could question her statement, Akira flew between them, pointing to the bus stop. "You both will miss the last bus back if you do not hurry."

Cal rushed to stand in front of the fairy to see the last bus pulling up to the stop.

Cari looked down and saw his phone silently ringing in the mesh side pocket of his bag. She frowned when she read the caller id: _Father_.

' _He won't ruin his good mood… not if I have anything to do about it…'_ discreetly she used her magic to lift the phone from the pocket to her hand.

Once in her hand she bent down to pretend to pick it up as he turned back to her. "Looks like we have to run…?"

Cari straightened with a teasing smirk. "Be careful Cal you don't wanna lose your phone, how will I tell you when I'm gonna break Master's stuff next time?"

"Next time?" he asked with hope growing in his eyes.

"Of course next time! You heard Master; he said you could come back again. Unless… you don't want to?" Cari smiled, she was glad he didn't have a password lock; it made it easy for her to delete the missed call notification.

"I didn't say that…" he half mumbled.

"Awesome! So you won't mind me adding my number to your contacts?" she waited for his approval before she obviously held the phone in both hands and saved her contact info. She sent herself a message then pulled out her phone to save his. "There all done!" she happily exclaimed as she hands him back his phone.

He gave her a genuine smile again. She took a glance back and saw the bus boarding its final passengers. She didn't want the fun with her new friend to end just yet so she came up with a crazy idea.

"Hey Cal~?" she turned to him with a mischievous smile.

"Yes?" he asked locking eyes with her. He grew slightly concerned because the only time she showed that smile was when she was about to throw him into one of her traps during their challenges. Subconsciously he took a step back.

"Let's take another route back to school. What do you say?" her smile didn't fade as he processed her words.

" _Another_ route? I don't think they provide another route…"

"Well _they_ don't but _I_ do. Just say yes and I promise it will be worth it!" she held out her hand and waited for him to decide. After a second of hesitation she nodded towards the bus. "Better decide quickly, the bus is about to take off…" without giving the bus another glance he accepted her hand.

Her smile brightened as she surrounded her magic around the both of them and took to the skies.

"Whoa! What-!"

Cari giggled. "Stop flailing around I won't drop you. Trust me."

Slowly Cal relaxed and soon began to enjoy the flight above the trees. Cari smiled brightly, she loved flying with a companion it was always much more fun that way.

"Better than the boring old bus right?" She asked loud enough to be heard over the wind.

"Most definitely." he laughed and Cari laughed with him.

"kree. Kree!" they both glanced to Cari's backpack and saw Glyde peeking out before spreading his wings to fly alongside them. They both laughed as Glyde circled around them before circling Akira.

"kree. Kreeee!" Glyde persistently bothered the purple bird.

"I have no desire to race you. Ask someone else." Akira ignored the pouting bat.

"oo a race sounds like fun! What do you say Cal? Wanna race Glyde?" Cari hopefully asked the Specialist.

"Race? Won't we obviously win? A small bat over a fairy?" he asked confused

"I thought it was rude to underestimate your opponent?" she teased.

"Well yes but…"

"Don't forget Glyde is no ordinary bat… he's my familiar, he better be faster than the average bat from all the magic he takes from me." she giggled at the flexing little bat.

Cal laughed before nodding "Your right. Very well we accept your challenge Glyde the first to Red Fountain wins!"

"That's the spirit! Ready, Glyde?!"

"Wait!" all three froze at the sudden voice behind them. Cari turned her head to Akira who settled on her backpack. "Ok now you may proceed."

Cari shook her head and whispered "lazy" before yelling: "Ready. SET. _GO_!"

* * *

"Well… I don't know what to tell you guys… I feel like this time was worse. Did you guys get into a fight or something?" Cari asked the exhausted Specialists after she released them from the traps she had them in.

"Or something…Ms. Cari..." Aiden panted.

"Ookkk… well I guess I won't need to tell you what you need to work on this time then… I hope you three get it together next time…I do dislike easy wins, they're so boring." Cari said not really sure if she should ask what they were fighting about. _'Aiden will tell me if he wants to…'_

"I don't see why you don't just accept my _individual_ challenge! I don't need _them_ to defeat you!" Mallori exclaimed between breaths.

"Nope and nope." Cari shrugged as she started to head out.

"Figures… you have never had to work in a team before, have you?! Even now I think it's pointless for this school to _force_ us to work in a team! We would be more efficient working individually!" Mallori vented

"You have better success surviving as a team on missions than you would alone, Mallori." Cari patiently said, knowing he was just frustrated over the loss. It was obvious he wasn't used to losing.

"You would say that! Only reciting what the teachers say! You fairies only rely on your magic; you _never_ need to work on teams! Empty words have no weight, fairy!"

 _Sigh_. "You should do more research on modern fairy education, Mallori. Because of the Winx, we are now trained in teams. Similar in the way Specialists are trained, not as heavily but it _is_ taught _and_ recommended. So my words do have some weight." Cari calmly said.

"I didn't take you as a liar, fairy." Mallori glared as she just shrugged.

"Cari would it be too forward to challenge you _and_ your team?" Cal asked. Locking eyes with him she saw that they glowed with a range of emotions: anger, disbelief, and curiosity.

"Do _you_ doubt me as well?" Cari asked

"Of course not, but I am curious to challenge another team that won't give us… _sympathy_." Cal replied.

"Hmm…" _'Looks like other teams have been giving them a hard time…'_ "And what do you say Aiden? Do you agree to extend a challenge to my team?" Cari smirked at Aiden's excited but nervous expression. He obviously took a moment to think over the pros and cons of such a challenge. Why wouldn't he… he's seen her team practice before.

"Yes, we challenge you and your team. Will you accept?" He asked, now looking more excited and determined.

"Mallori?"

The raven haired specialist just shrugged "I'm not afraid of fairies."

"Well then I'll take your challenge into consideration and I'll tell you our decision later."

"Why not _now_?" Mallori exclaimed

"I told you before… we aren't really ready for that yet, but mainly I need to ask my team if _they_ want to accept. You are challenging a team now not an individual, more consideration is needed. I will talk to them and let you know when I can. With that I'm out. See you all Monday!" the fairy said before jogging out of the simulator.

* * *

"I don't know Cari. The match will be highly uneven." Rosie commented.

"Yea is it such a good idea? What does Riven say?" Lea added.

"Honestly I'm not really sure if it is or not… And Riven just told me to decide on my own, that he doesn't care either way… but I kind of _do_ want to accept their challenge as a team. We haven't teamed up in a while and maybe if we show them how different _we_ are, then maybe they will _want_ to try and get along too…?... maybe?" Cari said

"Perhaps… very well I accept. Lea?" Cari and Rosie both turned to their short haired friend and waited for her answer.

"When is it happening?" she asked looking at the calendar on her phone.

"Anytime you guys are both free. Doesn't matter when." Cari said with a hopeful smile.

"In that case… there's no reason to say no right." Lea said with a wink. "Looks like we are going to need some practice."

Cari nodded. "Thanks girls! You are the best!"

" _Of course_ we are but you better not have your MBC show in the middle." Lea teased

"Or blame us for the results of the match." Rosie added with a smirk.

"I won't I promise!"

* * *

Cari was casually walking through Magix, trying to decide where to grab food. They were having their first practice match later that day and she figured she would bring some lunch.

After talking some more last night the three fairies agreed to have the match in two weeks. With that decision Cari was excited to tell the boys at ACS on Monday.

Lost in her own train of thoughts as she walked down the peaceful main street of Magix the fairy didn't notice someone was in her path until her face made contact with a hard yet soft back.

"Ow!" reaching up to rub her sore nose she slowly looked up. "Sorry I wasn't paying att- Aiden?" she automatically smiled brightly

Looking down he smiled just as bright. "Hey si- uh… Ms. Cari." he ignored her teasing eyes at his caught mistake. "What are you doing around here?"

"I could ask you the same thing Aiden." she smirked.

"I was just looking for lunch that wasn't prepared in Red Fountain's cafeteria. Its gets boring eating similar dishes every day." he said rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's true." Cari giggled "I'm pretty much here for the same reason, and to bring some back to Lea and Rosie."

"O? When are you meeting them?"

"In a few hours." she responded with a shrug.

"In that case would you care to have lunch with me?"

Cari raised her eyebrow. "If I didn't know any better I would say you had ulterior motives."

 _Scoff_ "if I did then I'm sure you would easily discover them."

"Very true." Cari giggled

"I was merely hoping you could point out the best place for a delicious meal and keep me company. But if not I understand I will be on my way then." Aiden nodded his head and turned to leave but paused at her request.

"Wait! I-I wouldn't mind helping you out…" the fairy grumbled as she crossed her arms. He turned back with a smirk _. 'Oo that little brat! He's messing with me!'_

"Why thank you Ms. Cari." he took a step to the side and politely held out his arm. "After you."

Quickly getting over her frustrations she just smiled and led him to one of her favorite cafes.

She choose this specific cafe for multiple reasons. One: it was a super cute place where the customers were mainly fairies because it was such a "girly" place. She wanted a slight sense of revenge for his teasing earlier. Two: it had a few private booths in the back for them to eat in peace without any wandering eyes. She didn't expect anyone to come in this early on a Sunday morning, but you can never be too safe. And three: they really did have some of the best food in Magix, even the dishes that looked a bit weird.

"So what do you think? Cute right?" Cari said with an innocent smile.

"Yes, _very_. So much so it's not surprising that many specialists come here." he replied with a slightly grimacing smile.

Cari giggled "let's order." she said as she leads him to the counter.

"Everything looks too... _sweet_ for lunch… or for any meal…" Aiden said cautiously as he read the menu.

"That's true, but that's just how they name their stuff. Shall I order for you?" Cari asked with a smirk. After a moment's hesitation, she slightly pouted. "What's wrong? Don't you trust me?"

She held in her giggle when she hears him slightly groan.

"What do you recommend, Ms. Cari?" Aiden half mumbled.

Brightly smiling Cari turned to the cashier and placed her order. "Hi. One order of Gummy bear chicken and one Sweet Steak with chocolate sauce, please."

Once their orders were placed Cari led Aiden to the back where the more private booths were. "Should I be worried about the food you ordered?" he asked when they sat down.

"hmm… we'll just have to see, won't we?" she replied with a smirk.

After a short moment, their food was placed before them. She giggled when she heard him sigh in relief. "What did you expect? Gummy bears in the shape of chicken?"

"Actually yea I did." he smiled back as she rolled her eyes.

"So dramatic. I may like sweet things but I can't just have it for a meal."

"Not like you haven't before and it doesn't help that the names are misleading." he said as he took a bite of his chicken. "Wow, this is really good! There's just a touch of sweetness but the sides balance it out." Aiden commented as he took another bite. "How is that no one at school has recommended it? It's almost as good as Chef Ron's cooking back home."

Cari giggled "this place makes some of the best food in Magix, but because of its 'fairy' personality only fairies really come in here. Not to mention it's kinda hard to see a _Specialist_ order 'Gummy bear chicken' with a straight face."

"That's true. It would be hard to ask for 'sweet magical steak' while keeping my masculinity." he said with a smile as Cari laughed.

"Speaking of the magical steak, you have to try some!" she cut a large portion of her steak and carefully moved it to his plate.

"That's too much! I can't have you pay for my lunch, _then_ eat your food Cari!" Aiden said quickly as he tried to move the steak back to her plate, to which she quickly moved it out of reach.

"Psh it's no biggie, calm down. Besides I wasn't going to eat it all anyway, if you don't take it then it will just go to waste." she said with a shrug.

"Then why did you order it?"

"I wanted a small bite from this place but their portions are pretty big so you're actually helping me out. And I can't eat too much since I'm training with the girls soon while bringing a whole lot of food."

Giving in, Aiden just began eating his food. "What are you three training for? A class?"

"To fight your tea-" Cari covered her mouth realizing she had honestly answered him. "Oops that was supposed to be a surprise…" rubbed the back of her neck.

Aiden stared at her in shock, mid bite. It was a moment before he fully registered what she said. "uhhh… Aid-?" she slightly jumped when he suddenly stood up.

"Are you serious?! You _three_ against us?! That's amazing! But nerve wrecking… do you really think we're ready for that sis?!"

"That depends on the three of you. Now calm down and finish your food before you blow your own cover, _bro_." Cari calmly teased with a smirk

His slightly confused face quickly turned red before slowly sitting back down while looking around. He eyed the fairy in front of him when she started giggling.

"Don't worry, Aiden. This is a private part of the cafe, not many people come back here, mainly couples or gossipers. So your little outburst went unnoticed." he nodded once and continued to eat.

"I got too excited… I apologize Ms. Cari…"

She waved off his apology. "Back to the challenge acceptance… Riven and I will officially tell the three of you tomorrow. Try to act just as excited tomorrow." she finished with a wink.

"I do hope you come after us at full strength." he said ignoring her last comment.

"that will also depend on how the three of you work together… if you are a mess it would be pointless to be serious, but give us a challenge or force our hand then it will be a fun experience." Cari started to get excited and internally hoped they forced their hand.

"I hope we meet your expectations, Cari…" Aiden said, sounding a bit down.

"Is that hard cooperating with them?"

"Kinda. Calleo has suddenly gotten better… he was trying too hard but then on Saturday morning for our light practice, before the challenge with you, he seemed completely changed like a heavy weight was taken off his shoulders. Something must've happened when he went out on Friday." Aiden missed the knowing smile on his sister's face as he continued. "The main issue now is Mallori. He kinda changed too but not in a good way. He still refuses to work as a team but it has gotten worse… I've tried everything to get through to him, even doing my best not to fight with him but nothing seems to work… and it doesn't help that during our scrimmages with other teams they treat us as if we are handicapped."

Cari smiled _'glad Cal's doing well…maybe something happened to Mallori too_ ' "You know Mallori reminds me of a lone wolf… it takes a lot of work to earn their trust and respect. And I have a feeling it will take even more work with him."

"What makes you say that?"

"You can tell a lot by a person in a fight..." she said with a shrug

"Well, that's true but I'm trying to get him to work with us… won't fighting make it worse?"

"Sometimes it's better to lay everything down in the open and the best way to do that is usually in the middle of a heated fight. It's also the best way to get closer to another, the best way to understand the other's feelings. That's how Lea and I ended up getting along."

' _Cari, Mimi seems to be headed to the cafe…'_

' _Well, that's just great. Thanks for the warning Akira!'_

' _My pleasure! I'll let you know if she gets closer. Best you both leave…'_

' _Mmm…'_

"Hey Aiden, I've been meaning to ask you something…" Cari quickly asked, cutting off a question he was about to ask her.

"What is it?" he asked slightly taken aback by the sudden change in topic.

"I hear you have fangirls that have been bothering you…" she stifled her giggle when she saw Aiden slightly hunch his shoulders and groan, _'no time to tease now… later…'_ "So I was thinking since we are ' _friends'_ here why don't we _evolve_ our relationship…"

Aiden arched a brow in confusion. "Evolve our relationship? Do you mean to become 'closer friends'? How will that help with my… problem?"

"No, I mean more than friends… for us to be 'dating'." seeing his shocked face she decided to just explain her reasoning. "If you're ' _taken'_ then they would respect that and leave you alone. You'll be free of girls, like Mimi, and won't be worried about having to reject them all the time. You need to focus on your studies, training and having fun… not romance… well, at least not until you are ready for one and find one to be worth your time… so what do you say? Not such a bad plan right? No one would be surprised by it since I go to ACS every day. Everyone will just assume that we got closer the more we trained together. And it will mean we can spend more time with each other without worrying who will figure you out. Not to mention this will chase away any speculators about your heritage." Cari finished with a confident smile.

' _She's entering the cafe, Cari…'_ Akria telepathically informed her fairy.

"I should think about it…"

"Actually… you have about a minute to decide…" Cari said as she heard the door's bell chime.

"What? Why?" Aiden asked

' _Don't have time to delay…'_ "Akira told me, Mimi just walked in… and she loves coming to eat back here, she's a gossiper. If you don't like my brilliant idea, then I need to get you out of here… but if you agree then she can be the first to know. Once she knows everyone will know, it would be the best and fastest way to get you 'crazy fangirl' free… so what do you say?" Cari asked before looking towards where you would enter the private booths hoping not to see the dark haired fairy yet.

"I can't make such an important decision so fast! Though it is a very tempting offer, but I can't help but feel that you're leaving out something important…" he narrowed his eyes at her.

She shrugged. "Regardless, you need to decide _now…_ unless you _want_ to be attacked and smothered by Mimi…" Cari finished with a dramatically disgusted face.

Aiden quickly and sharply shook his head "anything but that…"

"So I'm your fake girlfriend now?"

Aiden looked from Cari to where the entrance was back again. Until he slowly nodded.

"Awesome. But you still have a chance to change your mind. You don't need to go along with my crazy idea… I just don't want you to worry about unnecessary things until you are ready ok? I will leave it up to you, either way, I will get us out of here real quick." Cari said with a supportive smile. Aiden gave her a thankful nod.

Cari looked up when she heard the telltale sound of stiletto heels on the hardwood floor. "Well, here we go…"

"Ugh what is the _cursed fairy_ doing he-. Wait, Aiden?" The bully's attitude quickly changed when Aiden turned to fully face her.

"Hello, Mimi. How are you?" He said with a small smile

"Uh… um… I-I'm fine. H-how are you?" She stuttered in a sweet tone, obviously not expecting to see the Specialist here.

"I'm doing well. This cafe was misleadingly delicious." Aiden casually replied.

Mimi could only nod once as she continued to stare at the scene before her.

The boy she had been relentlessly chasing after to go to lunch with always told her he was too busy with training to socialize… is now _here_ in a cute, couple-ly cafe with her _enemy_ …

"You know… you will end up eating flies if you keep your mouth open like that." Cari snickered.

Mimi internally shook her head before standing straight and running a hand through her long dark hair before she cleared her throat. "If you don't mind me asking, Aiden." Choosing to completely ignore Cari in hopes to keep her sweet personality with the Specialist. "Why are you having lunch with Calida Cari? Here? _Alone_? I thought you were busy with your training to go out today…"

"O I apologize." Aiden cut off the red head. "I was under the impression you two knew each other. Mimi I would like to introduce you to Cari..." He held out his hand and Cari automatically took it. "My girlfriend."

It took everything the two siblings had not to sprint out of the cafe as Mimi began screaming on the top of her lungs.

* * *

 **Hey guys,**

 **Sorry, it took me a while to post. As soon as I got back from Vacation so much work had piled up I didn't even have time to proofread anything I wrote while I was away.**

 **Anyway, i hope you are liking the story so far, I'm pretty excited that I have made it to chapter 10 already. I do _hope_ to have the next chapter up soon. **

**Thank you all for taking the time to read my story and special thanks to Skylar and Mia for your reviews. They always make me so very happy and motivated to write faster. Thanks again!**

 **Love**

 **~P. Yukiko**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Riven are you sure we should be allowing this? I mean they are obviously not getting along as a team yet… sure Cari and her friends are still training as a team themselves, but at least they have more experience and are actual friends outside the training field…"

"You worry too much Timmy. Besides it's too late to change our minds they will be here any minute now, so just go with the flow." Riven shrugged.

"But as educators we should worry about our students…" Timmy replied

"We _are_...here think of it this way: if we go through with this then Aiden's team will see how a functioning team really works up close and personal. Sure they have battled other teams here, but I don't count them. You saw how they treat them… always with either pity or contempt. And you've heard the names they have been called: Team Rejects, Failures, Sacrificial. At least Cari and her friends will never look down on them, they will treat them as equals until proven otherwise. The only thing you should worry about is how much damage they will receive and if they will get something out of this besides bruises."

 _Sigh_. "I guess you have a point. Fine but if this doesn't go as planned it was not my idea." Timmy said as they heard a voice coming from down the hall.

Both instructors paused walking to greet the three fairies.

"Hey girls long time no see." Riven greeted

"Are you three prepared for the match?" Timmy added

"Yup we got some practice in and are raring to go … hopefully, everything will go smoothly." Cari said with a smile.

"Well, as long as Cari's MBC stays in check we should have this in the bag." Lea added

"I'm not going to give him special treatment… he will suffer like the rest of them." Cari remarked

"Uh huh sureeee~" Lea teased

"So is the field prepared?" Rosie asked trying to change topics

"Yes, I have everything set up and ready to go. All we need now is you three; your challengers are already waiting for you." Timmy replied.

"Let's not keep them waiting…" Cari smiled as the fairies followed the two professors.

Once they reached the simulator the professors went to the control room while the fairies entered the simulator where the three young Specialists were waiting for them.

"Hey, guys! Are you ready for our match?!" Cari exclaimed as soon as she saw them.

"Greetings, Ms. Cari. We are delighted that you and your team decided to accept our challenge. I do hope you go all out on us." Aiden said.

"Trust me, we intended to." Cari said with a sly smile. "Now I know you've met them before but let's do introductions anyway. Guys met my team. Lea and Rosie."

"We are excited for our match and we hope to learn much from this experience. Thank you for the opportunity." Rosie sweetly said.

"Yea! But don't expect special treatment! I plan to bring all three of you down, hard and fast." Lea added as she punched the palm of her hand with a confident smile.

"We won't be holding anything back so be sure not to bore us ok?" Cari added.

The three Specialists stared, slightly stunned at their obviously completely different personalities before Mallori replied. "You better not hold back. I'll know if you do." he gave them a threatening glare.

"Awesome!" Cari exclaimed, ignoring his glare. "So since we were the ones challenged we reserve the right to choose the way of the match. And we decided the match will be 'defend the castle'."

"Of course." Mallori scoffed.

"I know we normally do that one but we are switching it up this time. This time the Specialists will be protecting the castle and their flag, while the fairies will be the invaders. Sounds like fun right?" Cari excitedly asked.

"Which field will we be using?" Cal asked

"The forest arena. Now before we get started, Lea and Rosie will transform into their fairy forms while I will not. And before you get the wrong idea… it's not because I 'think' I'm stronger than you, it's simply part of our strategy. Now, would you three like a hint on our specialties?" Cari asked _'Aiden obviously knows but I doubt he told them, so it's only fair to give them the choice…'_

Cal looked like he was about to respond but Mallori quickly cut him off. "I thought you weren't going to give us any special treatment. No enemy would _willingly_ give their opponents hints."

"It was simply an offer since we already know about you. Knowledge could've improved your odds but I guess it will be more interesting this way. So shall we begin?" Cari asked as she gave them a mischievous smile.

…

"Have you found them Lea?" Rosie asked the musical fairy.

"Yup sure did." She replied with a smirk as she received the feedback from her echolocation spell. "I'm surprised they chose the castle closest to us… I expected them to choose the farthest."

"Yea they usually pick the unexpected." Cari commented with a shrug

"Well from what I remember the closest one has the best vantage point, being the highest and all. It will be a challenge for us to sneak up on them considering the peak rises above the tree line." Rosie commented.

"Hmm… good point. But good thing we have a talented nature fairy on our side, I'm sure we can _grow_ some good cover." Cari said with a mischievous smirk.

"O I know that smile! You have a devious little plan don't you?" Lea asked elated

"Sure do… but it will all be based on if we can catch them off guard. The element of surprise will have to be on our side." Cari replied

"This is going to be fun! Aren't you excited Rosie?"

"I must say that I am surprised at how excited I am. It has been a while since we've had a match such as this, it is invigorating." The nature fairy said with a bubbly expression "Not to mention I get to field test my newest creation to its fullest extent!"

"Well, then let's get to it… we wouldn't want to bore them with all this waiting." the three fairies giggled as they flew towards the castle.

…

'Should _you three be this excited to take down your brother and his companions?'_ Akira wondered as the three fairies began to surround the castle. They had decided to split up and come from different angels in case they were out scouting. They arranged a predetermined location and time to meet up before they began their attack.

' _Why not? It's just a game with some learning experience thrown in one. Of course, we would be excited… I just hope they're prepared.'_

' _Very well. Ah. You should prepare, it looks like they grew impatient while they waited for you…'_ Cari looked ahead and noticed some movement in the trees a safe distance away from her. Instinctively she hid behind the closest tree.

Slowly she dared to look back out. Luckily the person didn't seem to have noticed her yet. _'It's a good thing I didn't transform, those large wings practically impossible to hide…wait...'_ She was stunned to see the person nimbly jumping from branch to branch. _'Wow, he's pretty skilled and fast… but who is it?…It doesn't look like Aiden...'_

' _The only way to find out is to get closer… though I suggest from above.'_ Akira commented. To which Cari nodded once and carefully flew higher. She hid among the thick and full branches careful not to brush against the leaves to alert her prey. Slowly she inched closer and she got close enough to see him with his back to her, kneeling down as he glanced at the forest ground below.

The fairy froze in shock at the familiarity… she's seen this scene before. With the sudden rush of Déjà vu she couldn't help but think of the first and only thing that came to mind… ' _Manu…?_ ' Subconsciously she reached out to him, but it resulted in her hand brushing a nearby branch.

' _Cari watch out!'_ Shocking her out of her trance the fairy dropped farther down the tree narrowly missing the flying projectile aimed at her.

' _Are you alright Cari? What happened?'_ Akira asked.

Shaking her head she looked up and saw him jumping down towards her. ' _I'm fine. Thanks for the warning Akira._ '

When he jumped again Cari surged out and tackled him in midair, when he guard was off. Using her speed she crashed him into a nearby tree successfully knocking the wind out of him. "Now now Mallori it's not very wise to be caught ungrounded when you don't have any backup…especially to an opponent who can fly…" Cari snickered as she began to summon up a rope to secure him to the branch.

But before she could approach him, he lunged at her _. 'Of course being winded wouldn't keep him down for very long…'_ He grasped her waist tightly as they fell to the forest ground below.

She managed to soften their landing with her magic, right before hitting the ground. _'Geez, he's so reckless… that could've seriously hurt him if I didn't cover him…'_ Once grounded Cari raised her legs under him and kicked him off her before he could properly pin her down.

"And _you_ shouldn't easily expose yourself if you are sneaking around." Mallori remarked as soon as he found his footing.

Cari shrugged before charging at him. As usual, they seemed equally matched, but one thing gave her the upper hand. "You should've stayed with your team Mallori!" Cari exclaimed in between attacks.

"I don't see why… I can take you on... without their help…"

 _Sigh_. "That's exactly why you will _lose_ …" Cari warned right before she suddenly jumped back and smirked at Mallori's confused expression. Within that same second, he was thrown hard against a tree by a magical attack. And just as fast, he was tightly bound with rope against the tree that out winded him for the second time that day.

Looking up the redhead smiled. "Thanks for the assist Lea!"

"I was wondering why you were late. Looks like a little squirrel caught your attention." Lea smirked as she admired her handiwork.

Looking slightly dazed, Mallori glared at the two fairies. "I thought you were an _honest_ fighter, fairy! You shouldn't need your friend's help to defeat me!"

"You forget Mallori… you challenged my _team_ not just me. So, of course, _we_ are going to defeat you _and_ your team." Cari confidently replied.

 _Sigh_ "I thought you _three_ were going to give us a challenge." Lea shrugged "Looks like an easy, boring win. Come on Cari, Rosie's waiting for us." Without giving the tied up specialist a second glance they flew to where their teammate waited.

"I was beginning to wonder what happened to you two." Rosie greeted with a smile

"Sorry. Mallori distracted me for a bit."

"O? Did he escape?"

"Naw I tied him to a tree. He's not going anywhere soon." Lea responded with a smirk

"Are you ready to go Rosie?" the redhead asked glancing at the sprouts littering the ground beneath them.

"Definitely. Just need a beautifully soothing tune and the surprise can begin."

"Nice. Well, you heard her Lea, time for your debut."

With a wink, the musical fairy summoned a medium sized harp and began to play a soft melody. Since they still needed to surprise the remaining two specialists Lea used her magic to blend her tune with the sounds of the forest. One would only be able to detect it if they were specifically listening for it.

Rosie proudly watched her hybrid plants grow. She created this breed specifically to ensnare her targets stealthily if needed. They make no noise as they rapidly grow and they perfectly blend into the environment where they were planted, whether it be in the middle of the forest or desert.

It was an interesting day when Rosie first gave them a test run, Lea showed up singing along to a rock song she was listening to on her headphones. At the sound of her voice the plants became extremely energetic. It was later found out that the plants loved slow instrumental music _and_ Lea's voice; they became much stronger and versatile when they heard either. Sure they were pretty powerful on their own but to be as fast and durable as they were with Lea, took a good amount of Rosie's energy. With Lea they can grow and attack practically effortless leaving both still battle-ready afterwards. It was a happy surprise knowing that Lea's singing and Rosie playing instrumental music while caring for the seeds would have this much effect. And it was always a sight to see.

The three fairies watched in silence as the plants grew and surrounded the castle slowly and steadily, covering every inch in its thick branches.

The moment Lea's voice joined in her harp playing, Cari and Rosie flew as fast as they could after the rapidly growing plants. Once her voice was heard the plants burst through the tree line, already attempting to capture the Specialists.

The fairies reached the top of the castle already expecting their victory but were pleasantly surprised to see they were holding their own against the plants. Seems they upgraded their weapons to hold a good amount of heat, and of course, strong heat is the enemy to most plants.

Smiling the two fairies nodded to each other knowing the fun wasn't over just yet. Rosie ordered her plants to halt their attack as they made their presence known.

"Someone did their research." Cari commented with an arched brow to Aiden. _'Maybe he did tell them after all…'_

"As you mentioned Cari, knowledge determines the odds of a victory or failure." she was surprised to see Cal had answered her. "It wasn't as difficult to find out your team's magical properties. But it is fascinating to see how you three work to assist each other's spells."

"Well, that's the ace tactician for you! Amazing! Wouldn't you agree, Rosie?" Cari asked with a proud smile

"Certainly. I was sure the battle was over, but I'm glad to know the fun has just begun."

"It will take a lot more to take us down!" Aiden exclaimed as he charged for the nature fairy while Cal aimed his arrows at the red head.

Dodging, the fairies were forced to separate. Cari was forced to keep her distance with the barrage of arrows coming at her. But upon closer inspection, Cal was also sending arrows towards Rosie to keep her from taking to skies. _'Clever… they know Rosie is weaker against close combat… but she isn't useless…as though this has never happened to us before.'_ Cari smiled. The two fairies locked eyes for a quick moment and gave each other the slightest of nods. _'Shall we dance boys?'_

The fairies ducked and weaved taking and giving blows. It took some maneuvering but they got close enough to each other to quickly and silently switch partners.

"Surprise!" Cari exclaimed as she blocked Aiden's sword with her arms covered in flaming armor. She saw his shock quickly disappear as he realized how they managed to switch. "It was a good plan. It could've worked if your third team member was present… too bad he was a bit _tied_ up." Cari finished with a giggle.

The fairies soon had the advantage once again and it wasn't long before they had the Specialists into their own respective corners. Cari was about to give the finishing blow to her brother but froze when she realized Lea's song had stopped. _'Something's wrong… Lea isn't supposed to stop for another minute…'_

"Ahhh!"

Cari looked up and reinforced her armor as she raised her arms to block Mallori's attack in time. His blow forced her back a few feet from the two Specialists.

"Mallori… how sad it is to not see you tied to a tree." Cari said with a teasing smile as she lowered her arms to look at him.

"You should've taken away my weapons if you really wanted me out of the match." he replied as he charged towards her.

"I guess it's safe to say, you gave Lea the same courtesy she gave you." Cari half stated, half asked him between blows and attacks.

"Of course." he replied.

Taking a risky glance back Cari saw that Rosie successfully immobilized Cal with her vines. _'Good I won't have to worry about Cal for a while at least…'_ "Rosie! Go check on Lea… I'll handle it here!"

Cari then completely focused on Mallori knowing Rosie knew that was the best option. Rosie wasn't used to drawn out close combat like she was, and it was better if all three were together.

"Aww she left you all alone to fend for yourself, _some_ teammate…" Mallori commented.

"Who has won _all_ our matches so far?" Cari teased completely unfazed by his taunts.

"Hey team leader!" he called out in a mocking tone "go free that useless prince!"

Cari was stunned for a moment at what she just heard. _'Is he asking for backup…?'_ Before she could ponder anymore about that, Mallori came at her harder than before. _'Now he's making sure I can't stop Aiden …? Am I dreaming?'_

Cari was so elated by this change in attitude that she almost didn't notice the barrage of arrows coming towards her. She quickly dodged and was hoping to catch Mallori off guard as he dodged too, like he usually does, even the attacks that obviously wouldn't touch him, Cal has that good of aim. But she was once again shocked to see him stand his ground, unfazed as the arrows landed right at his feet.

' _He's_ trusting _them now? What changed?'_

In her pause he lunged at her, forcing her to take to the skies which were quickly blocked by Cal's arrows. Then was swiftly attacked by Aiden.

' _They are working together… as a_ team _! … sure it's a bit sloppy but it's there!'_

' _Stop being so proud and concentrate! You will fall at this point!'_ Akira warned.

' _Yea got it! My team never loses!'_ with that Cari changed her tactic… soon she picked up on their set pattern and planned her counter.

"I'm surprised, guys! You three had me at a disadvantage there for a second… but the same moves won't win you this match!" Cari exclaimed as she threw a fire blast at Cal's feet successfully tripping him. Then as Aiden threw down his sword at her she quickly dodged then firmly planted her foot on the flat side of his sword and put all her weight on it, to keep him from moving before she kicked him away from it and into Cal. As Aiden landed on Cal, she back flipped away from Mallori's follow up attack.

She planned to charge at him once she landed... but she didn't expect a rock to come flying under her foot, forcing her to lose her balance and fall hard on her back.

' _OW! what the heck was that?!'_ before she could ponder any more Mallori held his sword close to her, forcing her to lean back into the ground to avoid getting cut.

"Admit defeat, fairy." he stated between labored breaths.

Cari stared at him in shock before a giggle bubbled out of her. She locked eyes with him "my team _never_ admits defeat…" she stated before a sweet and strong voice was heard loud and clear.

At the same moment, the castle shook as the plants burst forward and managed to successfully capture the shocked Specialists.

Relieved Cari fully flopped down on the hard ground and closed her eyes as she tried to calm her breathing down.

"Are you alright Cari?" She opened her eyes to see her friends looking down at her with bright smiles that matched her own.

"Yea I'm good. Took you guys longer than I thought... You alright Lea?" Cari asked still lying on the ground.

"Fine. Just not used to close combat like you are… he's pretty strong." Lea motioned to the struggling vine covered dark haired Specialist.

"Can't argue with that." Cari laughed

"Come. We must complete our mission." Rosie said as both she and Lea offered their hands.

Cari grabbed the offered hands and allowed her friends to pull her up. Together they walked to where the flag stood and each reached out to grab it. Together they pulled it out of its stand and happily exclaimed

"We Won!"

…

"I'm impressed guys! You should be proud! That was a really close match!" Cari praised as the three Specialists were released from their vine-y binds and were being checked by her team for any injuries.

"We lost. That's nothing to be proud of." Mallori grumbled as he waved Lea away, indicating he didn't want any healing.

"True. But can you say that you have _ever_ been _that_ close to winning? Not to mention the reason we won was because my teammates arrived in time to save me, if it weren't for them you might've won the match… well _maybe_." Cari commented, silently thinking of some different ways she could've forced her way out of that situation.

"Hn."

The redhead just shrugged at his lousy response. "What did you girls think?" She asked her friends.

"It was an enlightening experience. I enjoyed myself very much." Rosie replied without stopping in healing Aiden's minor cuts and bruises.

"Yea. I haven't had that much fun in a longgg time!" Lea added. "I don't even care that you knocked me out." She finished with a soft glare at the raven haired Specialist who just completely ignored her.

"That's true. It was a very fun match. I didn't expect you guys to last as long as you did, not to mention how prepared you two were to counter our first attack the way you did. Great job in doing your research, Cal! I really thought we had you three at the beginning." Cari praised "And next time we have to make sure we tie you up better." Cari pointed to Mallori.

"Humph. If you will _ever_ get a second chance, fairy." He coldly replied.

"Speaking of which. Will there really be a next time? The chance of you three accepting another challenge from us, I mean." Cal asked hopeful "It _was_ an enlightening experience after all."

"What do you say, girls?" Cari asked her friends

Rosie and Lea glance at each before smiling. "We would be delighted to accept the challenge should you ever extend another one to us." Rosie said

"You bet. I didn't think it would be this much fun and it's been awhile since we were given a real challenge… I wouldn't mind going at it with you guys again." Lea added.

"Then we extend a challenge to you now, please accept it." Aiden excitedly said

"Huh? Like now, now?" Cari asked dumbfounded. Aiden nodded. "Are you _crazy_? We just finished a challenge and you want to go _again_? Aren't you tired?"

"Are you? Fairies do tend to tire easily…" Mallori commented.

' _This jerk is trying to force me to agree…'_ "Girls… I'll let you two decide. I told you only one match so I am not sure if you have plans after this or not. We can accept their challenge another time if you want." Cari told her friends.

"I don't mind going another round. What about you Rosie?" Lea asked.

"Well, it would be nice to give my creations another test run… I shall agree as well… under one condition…" Everyone waited and wondered what her condition could be. "We take a two-hour break for lunch." The nature fairy finished as she summoned a large picnic basket of her homemade cooking. It was then everyone realized they were all pretty hungry.

"We accept that condition." Aiden said with a smile.

"Awesome. Let's go eat Rosie's homemade lunches!" Cari exclaimed as they began to walk out the Simulator. She looked back and noticed Mallori hesitating, she paused and turned him. "Hurry up Mallori! You need to eat to regain your strength!"

"I am ready to go now. I don't need _anything_ to regain my strength!" He remarked giving her a cold glare but quickly looked away in annoyance. Cari tried to hold in her laughter when his stomach growled in protest; she tried to pretend she didn't hear anything.

"Fine, then that means I get to eat _your_ portion. Too bad, Rosie packed a _whole_ range of food. From yogurts to steak to… Oo well more for _me_!" Cari exclaimed as she skipped to join the rest.

Once outside everyone, including Riven and Timmy, were settled on the soft blankets while Rosie laid out the large variety of food for everyone to choose from. Excited everyone began to enjoy Rosie's amazing culinary abilities.

Glancing back Cari noticed Mallori leaning against a tree not that far away. _'He's probably too proud to come over and grab some food… but he probably wouldn't like it if I just walked over and gave him some food in front of everyone...'_ She thought, wondering what she could do. Her teleportation magic wasn't very good and she didn't want to risk wasting the food. _'I got it!'_

She summoned a bento box then filled it with as much food as it could hold, then carefully wrapped the box in a cloth. Once set she made sure no one was really paying attention to her and gently coaxed out her familiar.

"Glyde can you please take this over to Mallori." The fairy whispered into the bat's ear while nodding her head to the tree that the Specialist was leaning against, barely visible to anyone under its shade. The tiny bat crossed his wings in reluctance. "Aww don't be that way… he's not _that_ bad… sometimes. And he's hungry we can't let him starve. Please~ for me?" Looking into her eyes the bat sighed and reluctantly nodded his head. "You're the best Glyde!" She gave him a quick kiss before he happily went to deliver the package.

Now that that was taken care of, Cari rejoined her friends. She sat beside Aiden before grabbing herself some food. They all happily enjoyed Rosie's cooking and each other's company before they returned to the Simulator.

"Wow, Cari. That's a really cute outfit!" Lea praised when the red head walked out of her room in a soft purple thigh-high dress with matching heels.

"Yes, you look very lovely." Rosie added.

"Thanks. It's not really my style but gotta play the part…" she said in a slight blush.

"How is playing your brother's 'girlfriend' going?" Lea asked

"Fine. I'm glad we see each other more and he says that even Mimi has stopped bugging him, so that's a bonus." Cari said with a smirk "She finally got a clue to leave him alone."

"Has anyone bothered _you_?" Rosie asked

"Not really. There have been a few girls who asked me if it was true and to leave him, but that stopped when I simply told them _no_." Cari shrugged.

"I hope you didn't frighten them _too_ much." Rosie said with a smile.

"Well, _I_ hope you _did_ frighten them too much." Lea said making Cari and Rosie laugh.

"I think I scared them enough. Hopefully, they will just leave us both alone."

"What time are you meeting him?" Lea asked. Cari took a glance at the time on her phone.

"Not for a few hours. So I thought I would relax for a bit until then."

"Then why did you get dressed now?" Lea asked

"I honestly thought I would've needed to change a few more times to get the look right."

"oo makes sense." Lea nodded her agreement.

Cari froze at the sudden feeling she sensed. _'Cari did you feel that?'_ Akira practically whispered.

' _Sure did. Masina is close by. We gotta get to Magix… now!'_

"Earth to Cari! Hello~!"

Cari blinked backed to her friends, the first thing she saw was Lea snapping her fingers in front of her face. "Oo sorry. Umm… I just remembered that I need to do something." she said as she bounced to her feet, grabbed her bag, and started for the door. "I'll see you guys later, ok?"

"Cari…!" the red head stopped half way out the door.

"Yea, Rosie?" she asked nervously.

"Call us if you need _any_ kind of assistance ok?" The brunette gave her an understanding smile.

"And we want the details later." Lea added with a wink.

Stunned all Cari could do was nodded and mumble her agreement before closing the door and heading to the front gates.

' _Your friends have amazing instincts…'_ Akira telepathically commented.

' _Yea… kinda scary how they figured it out so fast. But I guess that makes it easier to explain later.'_

Making it to the front gates she saw the bus to Magix arriving. _'Maybe I should ride the bus… being in a dress and all._ '

Before she could take another step forward she was blocked by an unwelcomed guest. "Where are _you_ off to Calida Cari, and dressed like _that_ no less?" Mimi sneered.

"Why suddenly so curious about my plans, Mimi?" Cari asked trying hard to be polite, she didn't have time for a fight right now.

"Don't tell me you are going to a date? Hasn't Aiden dumped you yet? I was sure he would be repulsed by you by now."

 _Sigh_. "I'm sorry to tell you that's _not_ the case. Now if you would excuse me…" Mimi just stepped to block her path more.

"A little piece of advice. If you _truly_ care for Aiden then do the right thing and _leave_ him."

"And how would leaving him be the right thing?" Cari crossed her arms in annoyance.

"To make way for someone _better_ , for the _ideal_ girl to grace his presence and be by his side. One fit for one such as him." the bully raised her nose as she looked down at the redhead.

"And who, pray tell, do _you_ think is the ideal girl for him?" Cari asked rolling her eyes.

"Why someone who is a respectable noble, flawlessly beautiful, highly educated, and loved by all. So just when will you leave his side?" Mimi finished haughtily.

Cari covered her mouth to stop the giggles that wanted to break free, instead, she cleared her throat to address the delusional fairy calmly. "I see you have put a lot of… 'thought' into that… it's just too bad your standards are unattainable. If I ever meet someone such as _that_ I will be sure to introduce them. Until then _I_ will be by his side."

Mimi's eyes glowed in anger and opened her mouth to protest. But Cari cut her off. "Now if you will excuse me…" she said quickly pushed passed and groaned as she saw the bus had left.

"Aww too bad." Mimi smirked. "But now we can chat more, and I'm sure Aiden _won't_ forgive you being late."

"Sorry but I don't plan to wait for the next bus." Cari said with a smirk.

"We aren't allowed to use magic outside the classroom! I will inform the headmistress!" Mimi exclaimed, trying her best to keep Cari there.

"Who said I would be using magic?" Cari said as she ran towards the closest tree and jumped up the branches then used her arms to pull herself higher.

Cari looked back to see Mimi yelling at Ms. Griselda demanding a punishment, just for the professor to shake her head and walk away. Cari giggled as she raced to Magix.

…

"Can you pinpoint Masina's exact location, Akira?" Cari asked as soon as they arrived to Magix.

"No, she's trying her best to hide her location. It may take a while to pinpoint her location this way…" the small bird responded.

"Then looks like we're doing this the old fashioned way. You keep working on sensing her while I look around." Cari ran off, hoping to find her.

' _Please let me find her. She's so close; I just want to talk…'_

...

After searching for what may have been over an hour Cari leaned against a wall in some random alley hoping to catch her breath before starting the search again.

"Ok gotta breaks over…" she stopped when she heard a noise.

Walking deeper into the alley she spread out her senses…

' _Masina is super close… could this be her?'_ "Masina…? It's me … please, can we talk…? Oo…" Cari was surprised to see a young girl unconscious on the ground.

"Hey, are you ok?" Cari gently held the girl. She looked fairly young, maybe around 10. She had long blue gray hair, her outfit was a simple light purple dress but looked expensive, she looked just like a doll. _'Wow, she's pretty cute… but what is she doing down here, alone, and unconscious…?'_ looking the girl over Cari noticed she looked a bit ruffled. _'Is someone chasing you?'_

Cari grew worried when the girl started to clutch her chest as though in pain. "She needs help… but I won't be able to concentrate on healing if someone is after you…" taking out her phone she quickly looked at the map. "Damn. Master's house is on the other side of town… but we're at the edge… maybe we can hide in the forest"

She arranged the young girl so she could carry her on her back. _'I have a feeling someone magical is looking for you, so it'll probably be safer to keep out of sight on the ground than in the open skies…'_

Once ready she began to run down the alleyway as she made contact with her dragon.

' _Akira I need your help…'_

' _What's wrong?'_

' _I found an unconscious girl… I think she needs healing magic… so I'm gonna need your help.'_ Cari said as she got closer to the forest.

' _But Masina…'_

' _Will have to wait… I'll start until you get here. Please hurry Akira."_

' _Very well.'_ the dragon reluctantly said.

"Ok just a bit further." looking out the alley Cari was able to see the forest in the distance, the only problem was the large open field between them. Cari scanned the skies for anyone before looking around the field once more. "I really hope whoever is looking for you isn't around here… but to be safe I shouldn't use my magic for a speed boost at least not within the town… looks like good old fashioned leg muscles to the rescue…"

She made sure her hold on the girl was firm before sprinting as fast as she could to the trees. In a short moment, they were safe in the forest.

Ducking behind a large oak Cari peered out for anyone who might've seen them. When everything seemed clear she boosted herself up the tree and deeper into the forest until she found a wide enough branch to rest on.

Gently laying the girl down, Cari saw she was a bit flushed with labored breathing. _'Where's Akira?... I'm gonna have to start without her.'_ reaching into her bag the fairy coaxed her little bat out.

"Glyde I need you to keep look out… I won't be able to focus on healing if I'm watching my back at the same time."

Giving a serious nod the bat climbed higher before scanning the area with his echolocation.

"Ok here goes…" her hands began to glow as she focused on healing.

* * *

 **Masina's POV**

"Masina? Where are you, Masina?!"

"Pipe down! What do you want kid?" the wolf asked the young witch as she lounged on a tree branch.

"I was given a mission and wanted to let you know. I will be guarding young Mistress Zuri as she goes to Magix to visit her brother. I will be leaving soon; did you want to come with us?" The witch responded.

"Is that a favor?" Masina asked in a bored tone.

"Not at all. I just didn't want you to get bored while I was gone… and I don't know how long I will be gone…they said she might stay the weekend…" Mara said shyly.

' _It won't be good if she's gone too long… I might need a recharge while she's gone…'_ "Well, in that case, I guess it's better than sticking around here, bored…" Masina said as she jumped down from the tree and stalked over to the young witch.

"Awesome! I know you are going to like Magix. It's very pretty…" Masa started while Masina tried her best to tune her out.

…

"Do you understand your assignment, Masa?"

"Yes, Ms. Lucrezia. I am at your beck and call." Masa replied politely, as Masina hid close by. No one knew of her existence and she wanted to keep it that way. She didn't want to risk someone trying to capture her or word getting out of her whereabouts; it would be annoying if her annoying sister caught wind of that. She was comfortable with her meal ticket right now and she really didn't feel like searching for another one.

' _Well, this looks easy enough. Just watching over some snot nosed kid… simple even that clumsy Masa can't screw it up.'_ Masina said as she watched the three enter a café from the top of the building from across the street. The child Masa was guarding looked like a frail little thing, doubtful she would get in trouble. But her Caretaker looked like a real piece of work, very strict and a pain to get along with. _'Glad I don't have to socialize with them…'_

She was beginning to doze off when she sensed her sister and guardian getting closer. _'Damn that Akira and fairy. I was hoping they wouldn't sense my presence, or at least ignore it. I better strengthen cloaking my presence.'_

Masina looked down when she suddenly heard a door slowly squeak open from the building Masa went into. _'Hey isn't that the brat Masa was supposed to be guarding…'_ She silently watched the blue gray haired child sneak out the side entrance and dash down the street before turning into an alleyway.

Shortly after, Masa and the caretaker rushed out of the cafe. "Find her! She must return unharmed!" the caretaker exclaimed in a slight anger as she dashed the opposite direction the child ran off in.

While Masa walked to the back of the café, where the child escaped from. _'Hmm… not a bad start kid.'_

Masina made it over to the Café's roof before she jumped down, slightly startling the young witch.

"Masina! Don't scare me."

"Yea whatever. I see you lost the brat." The wolf remarked casually.

"It wasn't my fault… she just got upset that Lucrezia told her we had to return early when the mistress' complexion worsened. Next thing we know it she asks to use the restroom and doesn't return. We have to find her; she will need her medicine soon."

"Maybe less medicine is good for her…" Masina commented.

"How can her illness getting out of control be good for her?" Masa asked sharply, to which the wolf just shrugged.

"Either way. She ran that way before turning into an alleyway a few streets down." Masina pointed in the direction she saw the child runoff in.

"Why didn't you say so?!" Masa said as she bolted down the street.

"I thought I just did." Masina remarked as she took to the skies, following the witch into the alleyway where the Zuri disappeared to.

"I don't see her anywhere," Masa said in a slightly panicked tone.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find her eventually. I'm bored now so I'm going to go take a nap. Whistle when you're gonna head back." She turned to jump back on the roof when the witch stopped her.

"Wait! I-I would like a... favor." Masina turned and eyed the witch carefully.

"A favor? Are you sure?"

"Yes, help me find Mistress Zuri please." Masa said

"You want to waste a favor on looking for a brat?" Masina arched a brow.

"She's just a child, with a weak body. I can't just leave her unattended without her medicine for long, she might get worse. I don't want to see her get hurt...will you help me please?"

Masina considered the witch carefully. _'She's not that horrible for a witch…and I am bored…'_ "Fine. I'll grant you this favor; I've been wanting to stretch my legs."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Masa brightened up.

"Yea, yea. Now let's find the brat before someone else does." Masa nodded before running off in the other direction.

Masina turned in the direction of Magix's main entrance. _'Ugh, she's in town now… I better not bump into that damn lizard while I'm here…'_ the wolf thought to herself before she started to sniff out the missing brat.

…

' _Of course, I can't sniff her out so easily…'_ the wolf grumbled as she wandered between alleyways trying to pick up the faintest trace of the missing child. _'there are just too many smells in these forsaken alleys. But I know she was here… it's freshest here…'_ Masina considered as she took one last look around the alleyway where the brat's scent had led her too. _'Hopefully, no one picked her up...'_ She quickly jumped up to get an aerial view hoping that the child didn't get too far. But just as she was about to be clear of the buildings something hit the top of her head.

"What the heck!" Looking around the wolf saw a stunned purple little bird a couple of feet from her. "Stupid bird, I ought to eat y- wait..." Sniffing the air between them Masina recognized the scent that filled her nostrils and growled threateningly.

"Masina…" The bird greeted, confirming her suspicions.

"Why, if it isn't my dear jailer. Don't you look stupid, dressed as a bird."

"How are you, mutt?" The bird asked.

"If you are trying to figure out if I am weak enough to capture, the answer is no. Unfortunately, for you, there is plenty of magical beings for me take from." Masina sneered as she motioned to the town below. "It reminds me of the good old days…"

"The days of your last master?" Akira asked

"How dare you speak of that rotting corpse!" Masina threateningly barked.

"Well, it's obvious that you are getting magical support from _one_ being instead of multiple. I assumed you meant that you had found a new master since not many can support a being of your caliber."

"You think you are so clever, don't you Akira." Masina spat. "But I won't let you lock me up again! I _will_ get rid of _anyone_ who gets in my way!"

"We don't want to lock you up, Masina. We just want to talk… won't you give us that chance?"

"Like I would trust the likes of you! After promising me year after year that you would free me just to break that promise again and again. You must think me a fool to _ever_ trust your word again!"

"I did what was best for Cari! She wasn't ready for you yet! I didn't want to see her harmed if I was proven right!"

"You should've given _her_ the chance to decide! But you made your decision Akira! You choose to turn your back on me… now it's my turn to make _you_ suffer! And if your precious guardian gets caught in the middle of it… well, you've got only yourself to blame!" Masina turned to leave but paused and took a side glance back. "O and I should warn you, dear sister... I have a powerful new ally on my side… with even more powerful friends. They will come after that royal family that you hold so dear, I do hope you are prepared for the coming war."

Before Akira could respond Masina raced away, quickly disappearing from sight.

Shocked by her warning the bird slowly made her way to where Cari was, completely lost in thought _. 'What are you planning Masina? Is your rage towards me so great that you are willing to put Cari and her family in danger because of it? Do you hate me that much?'_

* * *

 **Cari POV**

Cari paused in her healing once the girl's breathing was back to a normal pace. _Sigh_. "Rosie makes this look so easy… but something felt off... I don't know what… but it was definitely weird."

"Cree Cree."

"Glyde? What's wrong?" Cari looked where the bat was pointing, instinctively preparing herself for an attack, but quickly relaxed when she saw a small purple bird flying towards them.

"Akira, it's only you… where have you been?" Cari asked annoyed realizing how long it took the dragon to reach them.

"I-I was…" before the bird could respond they all looked to the young girl who had started to awaken. Cari rushed to her side to help her sit up.

"Hey take it easy. Are you ok?" The fairy asked, leaning the girl against the trunk of the tree. Her color was a bit better than before but it still seemed a few shades lighter than it should be.

When the child locked eyes with the fairy, Cari was amazed. They were the most brilliant green eyes she had ever seen. They were so vibrant and expressive; they reminded her of new spring leaves.

"Where am I? What happened?" She asked in a sweet soft voice.

"I was hoping _you_ could tell me that. I found you unconscious in an alleyway. Where you being chased?" Cari asked concerned.

"Oo yea, I remember now. Sorry if I startled you, I guess I pushed my body too hard again…" she started to look around, looking both amazed and excited. "Wow. Are we in a tree? How'd I get up here?"

"I carried up here… but never mind that, can you please tell what happened to you? Is someone after you? Who are you?" Cari asked getting a little anxious that her questions weren't being answered. She didn't like being kept in the dark in such tense situations.

"O I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Hello, my name is Zuri, I'm 11. I was supposed to see my big brother, he lives around here, but when my caretaker said we had to leave early I decided that I would go look for him myself. But I guess that was a bad idea since I have a weak body and all. I kinda got lost and without my medicine, I guess I fainted…Please, don't tell my brother, he worries easily." Zuri's eyes got teary.

Cari's heart couldn't help but go out to this little girl; she felt a strong urge to protect her. She looked like such a sweet angel it would be surprising if anyone could tell her no. "Uhh… sure, don't worry I won't tell your brother…" _'Not like I know him anyway…so please don't cry...'_ "So I guess you aren't in real danger then…?" Cari wanted to make sure before they returned to town, she didn't want to lead Zuri into any kind of danger.

The young girl shook her head with a smile. "Ok. Good. So why don't we get back then?" Cari returned the smile before helping the small girl up.

"Ok." Zuri said, before looking down at her body in slight shock.

"Is something wrong?" Cari asked prepared to catch the girl if she felt faint again.

"I feel… _amazing_ … I haven't felt this well since… since forever! What did you _do_? A special type of medicine?" Zuri excitedly asked.

"Uhh… I just used my magic." Cari rubbed the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed.

"Oo you're a fairy?! That's amazing! What kind of fairy are you?" Zuri seemed to get more excited by the second.

"Umm… I'm a fire based fairy." To prove her point Cari summoned a small harmless flame in her hand. She held out the flame for the young girl to see.

"Oo wow! So pretty! I wish I was a fairy." She reached out seeming to want to touch it, but stopped and pulled back. "Sorry, I almost forgot, fire is dangerous…"

Cari smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry my flame won't hurt you. I'm a fairy with extreme control over my powers. I can control how harmful my fire can be. See?" She broke off a small branch and stuck the tip into her tiny flame. Zuri's eyes widen in amazement as she saw the little stick unharmed from the flame. Slowly she reached out her hand and tentatively stuck her finger into the flame.

"It doesn't hurt!" The young girl exclaimed

"Here do you want to hold it?" Cari asked. Zuri nodded her head vigorously. Turning the child's hand, palm up Cari transferred the flame to her small hand. The girl pulled the flame close to her chest as she stared at it, mesmerized.

"It's so warm. It reminds me of when my big brother hugs me… I feel safe and… loved…" Zuri closed her eyes and Cari watched with a gentle smile.

"You really love your brother, don't you?"

"Very much… I miss him _so_ much, I wish he could be by my side all the time… but I know he works so hard all the time so I can get the help I need for my illness. Everything he does is for me… I just wish he would think of himself too... Maybe...maybe it would be better if I wasn't around, then he could find his own happiness…" she had such a sad smile it almost broke Cari's heart.

"I'm sure if you weren't around then your brother wouldn't be _completely_ happy." Cari told the young girl who looked up at her in shock.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, would you be able to be completely happy if your big brother suddenly disappeared? If he just one day left you all alone in the world?" Cari asked

Zuri shook her head. "No, I would be very sad… but isn't it different? He could be happy by now if it wasn't for me…"

"You know, I have a younger brother too. He's _everything_ to me, I'm always there for him when he needs me _and_ even when he doesn't. If he wasn't around… I wouldn't know what I'd do. But I _do_ know, I would _never_ be truly happy if he was gone… I'm sure I would be forever broken inside… so don't _ever_ think that it would be better without you around because I can tell you for certainty your brother will be worse off. All older siblings think the same way. If our younger siblings aren't happy then _we_ can't be happy… It's our job to take care of those we love, right? And since we are older we are already prepared for the dangers of the outside world… we can _easily_ shield you from any harm that come your way, we can handle it. So no more thinking those kinds of things or you will end up breaking your brother's heart. Ok?" Cari said as she gently patted the girl on the head.

With slight tears in her eyes Zuri nodded with a genuine smile.

"That's a good girl. Now let's get you back. We wouldn't want to worry your brother now do we?"

"Nope." Zuri cheerily responded as she held out her cupped hands to return the flame to the fairy. Smiling Cari snapped her fingers and the little flame transformed into a tiny dragon, and circled the two girls before fading away. Leaving Zuri giggling at the scene.

...

Zuri's bubbly laughter didn't cease on their entire journey back into town. Even as they walked down the busy streets the young girl refused to let go of Cari's hand as she laughed and recounted the experience she had on the fairy's back as they jumped through the trees.

"That was the most fun I have had in the longest time!" Zuri excitedly exclaimed.

"Well, whenever you want to go again I will be happy to take you. Maybe next time I can take you flying with your brother." Cari said.

"O really?! I would love that so very much! I'm sure my big brother might not like it but I can convince him! I can't wait!"

"Me too. Whenever you want you can just ca-"

"Mistress Zuri?! Mistress Zuri! Where are you?!"

Looking across the street the two saw a neatly dressed petite woman frantically looking around. "Zia! Zia! Over here!" the young girl exclaimed towards the short dark haired woman, who started to rush over to them the moment she laid eyes on them. "That's my caretaker."

"Mistress Zuri, you had me scared to death. Why did you leave like that?" the caretaker asked as she knelt down to eye level with the girl.

"I'm sorry. I just really wanted to see my big brother, so I thought I could find him on my own." Zuri said a little downcast.

"Umm… she didn't mean any harm, and she's perfectly safe now…" the caretaker looked up and gave Cari a look to say that she was surprised she had spoken or even there at all. But that odd glare disappeared in an instant and was replaced with a polite smile, the kind of smile Cari always saw on dishonest politicians or royals, the kind of smile that told her she wasn't liked, the kind Cari hated... _'Does she know who I am?'_

"Oh. I haven't properly introduced myself." She said standing up straight. "I am Lucrezia, Mistress Zuri's caretaker. I am thankful you brought her back to me, but we must be going now. Come now Mistress you must be feeling weak without your medicine."

"I feel better than ever Zia. Can't I play a little longer? " Zuri asked hopefully.

"Mistress you shouldn't act so strong in front of me. You know how ill you become when you force your body too much." The caretaker said as she reached and grabbed the child's tiny hand out of Cari's grasp.

"But I'm not acting! I really do feel fi-" before the child could finish she was overcome with a coughing fit.

"See I told you. Come let's get you back." Zia quickly scooped up the small girl in her arms.

"Maybe I can help? I'm a-" Cari started but was quickly cut off, by the petite woman's icy glare and emotionless smile.

"Thank you but I can handle it from here. Have a good day." the caretaker left Cari without another word or even offering for her to say goodbye to Zuri who now looked just as weak as she did when Cari found her.

Dumbfounded Cari could just stare as they walked down the street before getting into a car and drove away.

' _Akira did you feel that? It felt like a trace of dark magic around Zuri... or maybe Zia…?'_ Cari asked once her initial shock at the rude woman's attitude disappeared.

' _...Sorry I didn't sense anything…'_ Akira responded.

' _Maybe… it was just my imagination…'_ Cari wondered as she looked up and saw the town clock.

"Oh my gosh! It's almost time to meet Aiden!" Running, the fairy dashed down the street to where she had agreed to meet her brother. Unaware of the eyes watching her…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

' _Akira do you still sense Masina in the area?'_ Cari asked as she sat down on a small bench by the fountain where she agreed to meet Aiden.

' _... No, I do not…'_

' _Are you ok? You sound a bit off.'_ Cari asked

' _I'm fine.'_

' _Are you mad that I choose to help Zuri over searching for Masina?'_

' _No, you did the right thing in helping her. I apologize if I seemed reluctant to assist…'_ Akira said

' _You sure you're alright?'_

' _I am... just worried about Masina and what she is up to…'_ Akira sighed.

' _Don't worry we'll find her soon… everything will work out… you'll see…'_ Cari positively said.

"Hey, pretty little thing." Cari looked up to see a couple of guys standing in front of her.

"umm… hello?" Cari said with a forced smile.

"What's a pretty girl like you sitting here all alone for? Were you waiting for us? Well, your Princes in shining armor have arrived." The first guy said as they both flexed.

"More like donkeys in tin foil…" the fairy mumbled.

"What was that sweetcakes?" the second guy said as he leaned down towards her. Causing her to slightly lean back on the bench.

' _Would it be improper to simply punch this guy?'_ Cari mused

' _Yes, that would be most un-lady like…'_

' _Sigh… and I wouldn't want it to get out that Aiden is going out with an 'uncouth' girl…'_

' _I believe some already think that…'_

' _Gee thanks…'_

' _But if these... 'donkeys' persists it would be a crime_ not _to cause them harm, but perhaps you should first try_ talking _them away.'_

' _Fine… we will try the 'polite' way…'_

"oo nothing just that I'm waiting for someone who should be here _any_ second now…" Cari told the two muscular men with a slight smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Are you sure you weren't waiting for _us_? Come on babe, I'm sure we can show you a better time…" the second guy said as he looked her up and down.

Cari swallowed the groan trying to escape. "O, I highly doubt that… please leave me alone…" She replied politely. She had to lean to her left when the second guy brushed his fingers along the length of her arm. "My bo-"

"Aww come on don't be like that… just give us a shot…" the first guy cut her off with a smirk as she clenched the edge of the bench to keep from punching him.

' _O how I would like to give you a shot of my fire …'_

' _Which would be frowned upon'_ Akira commented.

' _ARGHHH!'_

"uhh… I'm sorry you don't understand…" she had to lean back farther when the second guy tried to brush her cheek with his oversized hand. "I'm waiting for my…" Cari was slightly surprised when she suddenly felt a chest against her back, but soon relaxed when she recognized who it was.

"... her _boyfriend_." Aiden glared at the two men, who regarded him for a moment before they clicked their teeth in frustration and walked away.

Cari looked up and smiled, but it took Aiden a second longer from glaring to look down at her. "Looks like my real knight finally showed up. You know, you shouldn't make a lady wait…" she teased.

"Technically, _you_ were too early…" he teased back with his loving smile.

"Or _you_ weren't early enough…" she remarked as she stood up to face him properly.

"When are you ever wrong?" he laughed shaking his head as he led her down the street.

" _Hardly_ ever. You would do well to remind your team that." she giggled, silently following him.

"Perhaps it's better for them to discover that on their own." he replied.

"Good point. Speaking of your team… what changed between you guys? You're suddenly making it harder during our matches. Actually using teamwork and all…" Cari said with an arched brow.

"Nothing much. Just took your advice to heart is all…"

"oo? Which one?"

"The one where you can learn a lot from another person during a heated fight… _sigh_ …" he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before continuing "Mallori and I got into it pretty bad some time ago and during our little ' _spar'_ I just seemed to understand him a bit more, kinda just clicked… the way he operates I mean. After that, I talked to Calleo about it and we mainly decided to start supporting him in battle, and in return he's slowly starting to support us."

"ahh… that's why you threw a rock to trip me up a few weeks ago…" he arched a brow at her.

"What makes you say it was _me_ and not just you being _clumsy_ in landing while showing off again?"

"Psh. I may show off at times but I _always_ watch where I'm landing. So to prove my point, I reviewed the tapes from that first battle between our teams… I saw you as clear as day throw that rock and ruining my win" she slightly pouted. "But going back to Mallori... you were helping _him_ gain a victory by tripping me up… good plan, that is good teamwork. So tell me: how is _he_ supporting _you_?"

"well now he trusts us _not_ to hit him with our attacks, and sometimes he backs us up if we're in trouble… but when he does he usually claims that we were just 'in the way'" Aiden smirked with air quotes. "But I think it's because he's starting to care about us, just doesn't want to or knows how to show it."

Cari giggled. "Well, that's a step in the right direction at least. It shows that your bond is improving."

"Yea, and it's all thanks to you. Thanks, sis." Aiden said with gratitude shining in his eyes.

"I didn't do much… just beat your butts a whole bunch of _creative_ times." Cari teased.

"Yea, don't remind me…" Aiden said with a slight groan at the memory as he held out a chair for her at an outdoor seating cafe.

"Thanks." she said sitting down "So, how's Cal doing? You two seem to be getting along better." Cari said with a smile.

"Shouldn't _I_ be the one asking _you_ that?" Aiden remarked with an arched brow, as he took his own seat across from her.

"What makes you say that?" she said with feigned innocence.

"Don't think I haven't noticed that you're calling him 'Cal' now, or that he calls you 'Cari' no longer 'Ms. Cari'... so I think the better question is how did _you_ get so chummy with _him_? Something had to have happened … maybe some time right before that match a month ago?" He asked with a mischievous smirk

Cari shrugged, knowing he wouldn't give up unless she told him something. "Nothing really happened. I just bumped into him in the city, we talked a bit, and then I decided to take him with me to test out some of Master's new stuff. That's all."

"Are you sure that was _all_? You two didn't do anything else?"

"Umm… well, we flew back to campus, won a race against Glyde, then exchanged numbers." Cari shrugged.

"Ah, so you two are _messaging_ each other now? Should I be jealous?" Aiden teased as Cari slightly blushed.

"N-no, of course not!"

"Then tell me, what do you two talk to each other about?"

"N-nothing much. Training, funny memes and scheduling times to go destroy Master's stuff together…"

"You do know that's a perfectly good reason to get jealous, right?" Cari arched her brow in slight confusion. He shook his head at her innocence. "You were messaging _and_ hanging out with another guy behind your _boyfriend's_ back… if that doesn't scream of an 'affair' then I don't know what does…"

"Ooo. I didn't see it that way…" She pondered for a moment before she looked at him with her innocent stare. "I'm sorry my beloved boyfriend I'll be sure to be more careful from now on." Aiden laughed.

"Be sure you do… we wouldn't want people to think we've broken up _yet_... unless, of course, you are starting to _fall_ for Calleo. He _is_ a good candidate if you really think about it." Aiden smirked.

"W-what?! H-how did you come up with something like _that_?" Cari stuttered with a deepening blush.

"Just a feeling." Aiden shrugged. "Why else would you not tell _me_ you're going to Master's with him. That is unless you didn't _want_ me to go and ruin your time alone with the breathtakingly handsome prince." His smile grew as she turned bright red.

"H-he's not _that_ handsome…"

"But he _is_ handsome?"

"W-why don't you just join us the next time we go? I'm sure Master will be glad to see you."

"Ahh but _you_ won't be. Is that it?" Aiden teased.

"N-no! That's not what I meant at all!" Cari exclaimed.

Aiden chuckled "I'm only teasing Riri… though I think I _will_ join you the next time you go. I would like to say my thanks to Master for my shield. But don't worry I won't get in your way with Cal." He finished with a wink.

"Aidey!"

"Yea, yea." he said laughing. "I'll stop. But you _will_ tell me when you do realize your feelings, right? I do have to approve before anything."

"I thought he was a good candidate." She replied with an arched brow.

"For mom and dad sure, but that doesn't mean _I_ approve." He said taking a sip of his drink. " _Do_ you want me to approve of him?" Cari blushed again before slightly glaring at his laughing form.

"I'm glad you _three_ are starting to get along." She said changing topics. "It shows how well your teamwork has greatly improved. I'm sure everyone else will see it soon too."

"Oo they have…" he smirked, allowing the topic change. "We were actually given our first mission assignment."

"Really? That's great! How dangerous is it? When is it? What is it?" Cari exclaimed excitedly with slight concern.

"It's nothing big… in a few days we will be transporting some goods that were stolen, back to their rightful owners… Though I won't lie, I'm a _little_ nervous… I remember dad mentioning that if merchandise is valuable enough it can be targeted while it's being transported…"

"I'm sure you three will be _fine_ you've been training very hard… and worse case, you'll have your charm with you, right?"

Pulling out the chain he hides under his shirt he shows her the charm with a smile. "Never leave home without it."

"Good. I hope you won't need to use it."

"Me too. I'll be sure to use it only as an _extreme_ last resort."

"Yea… we wouldn't want getting out that we are related, what a scandal!" Cari said lightening the mood making Aiden laugh.

"True, but since we are 'dating' we could just say you love me enough to give me a charm for when I'm in trouble."

"Hmm… someone has thought this through…" Cari smirked as Aiden shrugged.

"Better to have all bases covered right?"

"Very true…" she giggled. "Look at you showing the signs of a true leader." Cari had to resist the urge to reach over and teasingly pinch his cheek.

"I guess, but sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing as a leader…"

"Aidey, you won't always end up doing the right thing… you _will_ screw up, maybe more times than you can count, but just remember what Dad always told us: 'a leader must put his team before his pride. You can always raise your fallen pride but you _cannot_ raise a fallen comrade.' Do what is best for your _team_ not just yourself. Remember that and you'll be fine. It's ok to call me for help at _any_ time; we can always sort out the details later. Ok?" Cari finished with a wink.

Aiden nodded once in agreement slightly looking down. He knew she was right but he just hoped he wouldn't ever need to use his charm, that he would be strong enough to protect his team without his big sister's help.

* * *

"Cari, will you focus already." Lea remarked as the three fairies walked to their next class. "You've been caught daydreaming with the strictest teacher on campus, walked into walls, and instead of growing your hair out longer in Wizgiz class you cast the spell to lose all of it instead. Though that was pretty interesting to see you bald." Lea teased.

"Though the professor was far from impressed." Rosie added with an amused smile.

"I'm sorry girls. I just can't stop thinking about Aiden." Cari said with a concerned look as she clutched her books tighter to her chest.

"I'm sure he and his team are more than capable in completing their mission." Rosie said with a confident smile

"oo that's right! Today's their first solo mission. They must be excited. I wonder what kind of stuff they're transporting." Lea wondered.

"It's some kind of artifact." Cari shrugged "They weren't really told the full details of their cargo, just that it's sentimentality important to its rightful owner." Cari replied pulling out her phone to see if she received any messages from her brother. "Sure they wouldn't give them an extremely dangerous mission as their first one… but I can't shake this anxious feeling. I feel like I need to get to him…"

"Well if they assigned first timers to it then it's probably just some little family heirloom or something. No biggie. I'm sure Aiden will call you soon to tell you how boring it wa-" Lea was interrupted when a portal suddenly opened up before them.

"...It wasn't boring…" Cari practically whispered as she quickly flew through the portal, dropping her books in the process.

"Lea we're following!" Rosie said already half way through the portal.

Lea shook her shock away before looking back as she transformed, to see Professor Wizgiz hopping around the corner of the empty hall. She was slightly relieved that he was one of the professors that were told the truth about Cari and her brother.

"Professor! Please tell the headmistress that the emergency portal appeared and to expect wounded!" Lea said as she flew through the closing portal.

…

It was a matter of seconds for Cari to fully pass through the portal in her fairy form… and the first thing she sees, once she is through, is Aiden face down on the ground while some kind of beast was rearing up to attack him.

Pushing her wings to go faster she charged at the creature without hesitation. "DON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER!" she yelled out as she threw a powerful fire blast.

Landing next to Aiden she kept her eyes on the hateful creature until it was just a pile of ash before she knelt down and turned him over. She breathed a sigh of relief seeing that he was only unconscious but heavily battered, her relief was quickly replaced with burning rage. _'How dare they do this to him! What the heck happened anyway! Wait, where are the others?'_

Looking around she took in the scene around her. Calleo was on the ground a few feet away hopefully just unconscious as well. But when she turned her head to where the most noise was coming from, made her heart drop.

Mallori was holding back a horde of beasts on his own some feet farther away. She watched him in stunned silence as he managed to kill the beast he was battling with before grabbing his chest.

For a moment she wondered why he staggered and looked ready to drop. _'I didn't see that beast land a blow…'_ In that same moment, three beasts sprung to attack. Seeing that the Specialist was not going to dodge in time, the anger that was temporarily subdued in her shock quickly burst free as she speeds towards Mallori.

"Get away from him! INFERNO SWARM!" Multiple fire blasts in the shape of dragons attacked two of the beasts inches away from touching the dark haired specialist, though the last one managed to slash his arm before being blasted away by her attack.

Reaching his side, Cari caught the falling Specialist with an arm around his waist while keeping an eye on the remaining beasts surrounding them. The three she attacked were now just a pile of ashes, making the other beasts hesitant to approach her in fear of receiving the same fate.

Taking advantage of the beast's hesitation, and keeping her arm wrapped tightly around Mallori, she slowly lowered him to their knees.

"Don't worry Mallori I got your back." She said keeping him close to her while sending a few fire blasts to the beasts who were slowly stepping closer.

She was surprised and slightly concerned that he wasn't protesting her holding him so close _or_ protecting him.

' _Is he that tired? That beast's scratch shouldn't have done that much damage...'_ she thought keeping her focus on the targets.

"Mmm… hel… eam…" Cari heard him barely mumble.

"Huh? What was that?" She asked before taking her first glance down at the now practically limp Specialist in her arms.

 _Gasp!_ "Mallori!? O my gosh!" She exclaimed when she finally got a good look at him... she saw why he really collapsed and why he wasn't saying anything to the rescue... and it wasn't because he was exhausted ...it was because he had three long, deep and heavily bleeding gashes across his chest.

' _What the heck happened?! How was he able to fight with that kind of wound?'_ Seeing that the bleeding did not show signs of stopping made her borderline panic. _'What do I do?! I can't heal and defend at the same time! What do I do?'_ Cari was frantically looking between Mallori and the beasts trying to find a solution but slightly froze when she heard Mallori mumble again. She threw another wide fire blast before leaning close to his lips to listen carefully.

"... h-help… team...I-I'm… f-fine…" he struggled to say between his labored breathing.

Cari was taken aback for a moment.

' _A selfless warrior.'_ Akira whispered. _'They were right to place him in Aiden's team.'_

Shook her head to clear the shock. _'Focus! We'll be proud later. Now, we Focus!'_ Cari looked between Mallori and the horde of beasts closing in.

' _What do we do Akira? He needs a healer or he'll die… and I don't even know how Aiden and Calleo are fairing… we need to get back to Alfea… but I can't open a portal, heal, and defend on my own…'_

' _It could be possible if you had your pendant…'_

' _Not now Akira! I need to get all three of them to safety!'_

Cari quickly looked back to make sure Aiden and Cal weren't in immediate danger, and couldn't believe her eyes at the sight she saw instead.

Lea and Rosie were healing the two unconscious Specialists.

' _Cari! This is your chance!'_ Akira exclaimed, sounding just as shocked as Cari was. _'We can fight while your friends heal! But we must act quickly he's losing too much blood!'_

"R-right!" aiming at the ground she summoned a large fire wall between her and the beasts. As soon as it was up she wrapped both arms tightly around Mallori then flew as fast as she could to her friends.

"Rosie! Lea! Please help! Mallori's in very bad shape!" the redhead said as she gently placed the bleeding Specialist on the ground beside his teammates.

Rosie immediately stopped working on Aiden to quickly move to kneel by Mallori and began healing.

Cari looked on with concern as he gave a very pained expression. "He'll be ok, right? Please tell me he's gonna be ok!"

"I need to focus… don't you have a large _issue_ that needs your attention?" Rosie sharply remarked.

' _She's freaking out too… but she's right... our job is to protect, theirs is to heal…'_ Cari nodded and looked back and the fire wall slowly dying out.

Taking a moment to take a deep calming breath, she cleared her mind before she flew up to get a better vantage point and assess their predicament before her fire wall died out.

' _Why are there so many of them? Were they summoned by someone?'_ Cari wondered after she finished counting the large number of beasts.

' _perhaps… if not, then they were_ baited _into attacking unprovoked.'_ Akira commented.

Cari glanced down and saw her two friends healing the fallen team. _'We need to get them back to Alfea as soon as possible. Out of the three of us Lea is best at portals, but she will need time to open one up and Rosie's magic won't last long if their injuries are very severe… we need to wipe them out as fast as we can.'_

' _An attack of that magnitude could double back to them…'_ Akira commented.

' _Good thing Lea has strong barriers against my flame…'_ Cari said as she flew back down to her friends.

"Hey. I'm going to completely blast them away, but you might feel the heat. Lea I need you to put up your strongest barrier, can you do that?" Cari asked, rushed.

"You bet I can! I will protect them with everything I got!" Lea exclaimed as she jumped to her feet.

"I'm counting on you, Lea! Here take Glyde, he will watch your backs." at the mention of his name the bat appeared and flew over to land on Lea's shoulder.

"We're counting on you, little man." Lea said as she patted the small creature on the head. He looked up with determination burning in his eyes as he nodded.

"Good! Rosie, can you hold on just a bit longer?" Cari asked, looking between her friend and Mallori with concern.

"I will do my best, Cari." the brunette replied without looking up.

Nodding, Cari looked back at the now closing in beasts; feeling her anger building up all over again. "Now let's get rid of these things!" She said through clenched teeth as she shot straight up into the sky.

Once high enough she looked down and started summoning up her fire.

' _You ready Akira?'_ The fairy asked as she prepared to aim her attack around her friends to the best of her abilities.

' _You shouldn't be up this high… Don't forget this attack will most likely exhaust you…'_ Akira reminded while helping Cari with the control. But the fairy's rage was making it difficult.

' _If I'm not this high than my attack will definitely hit against Lea's barrier at full force… besides, I don't care what happens to me, as long as my friends are safe!'_ Cari said in pure anger _'they dare hurt my brother and his friends… there'll be no mercy!'_ she all but growled

' _Very true… no one gets away with harming the young prince and company.'_ Akira said anger radiating off her words, but not losing any of the control needed to complete the spell. _'Shall we burn them to ash?'_ she said in an eerily sweet way when the spell was ready to be released.

Cari slightly smiled, Akira always kept her temper under control but when it did get to the breaking point she got just as scary as Rosie.

Nodding, they made sure Lea had her barrier raised before unleashing her attack. "DROWNING INFERNO BLAZE!"

Her fire rained down like a raging waterfall over and around Lea's barrier, quickly spreading out and engulfing the beasts that were already attacking the barrier. Thanks to Akira's help they were able to control the flame enough to barely brush against Lea's barrier.

One by one the beasts were burned, leaving nothing but ash behind.

She increased her flames when she saw a few beasts retreating. "I won't let you get away! All of you will suffer!" She snarled at the howling beasts.

Cari stopped her attack when everything outside of Lea's barrier was nothing but ash.

"ha... got them all…" She smiled before feeling lightheaded ...she slightly opened her eyes when she felt the wind rushing past her as she fell from the sky.

' _I'm too tired to force my wings to work… Akira?'_ She asked hoping her inner dragon was better off.

' _Apologies but I am also too exhausted to assist…'_ she whispered between labored breaths

' _oo ok…'_ Cari thought as she closed her eyes again and waited for the hard landing.

A second more passed before she felt someone's arms gently cradle her. Opening her eyes she saw Glyde in his humanoid form.

"Glyde… you caught me..." she said with a weary smile

"I will always be there to catch my beloved master." He said with a warm smile as he landed a few steps from Lea and Rosie, who was still healing Mallori.

' _That's not right… Rosie should've stabilized him by now… is he worse than I thought?'_ Pushing against Glyde, she tried to stand but her familiar wasn't having it. Holding her tighter he just walked closer to Rosie and gently sat Cari down beside the brunette.

"Thanks, Glyde." She said with a warm smile.

"Of course mistress." He replied with a nod.

Cari turned to Rosie and noticed how strained and tired she looked. "Rosie, what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath before she spoke. "It's not good Cari… he already has an infection from his wounds… but it's spreading too fast. I think it's some sort of poison that disguises as a simple infection as it attacks the rest of the body… not to mention I can't seem to stop the bleeding…but that might be the poison at work as well" Rosie said, looking a bit pale.

Worried, Cari looked down and saw Mallori losing color in his face, he looked deathly white. _'No he can't die… how will I thank him for saving Aiden? For saving Cal? For being strong? No, I won't let him die… but what can I do?'_

"...and it's not just him but Aiden and Calleo have the same infection… though not as life threatening for them right now… I should be able to come up with an antidote for them in time, but Mallori doesn't have time to wait that long… if I could locate the core of the poison it would be easier but I can't find it… it's just hiding behind more and more symptoms that need attention... all I could gather is that it came from the claw marks they received..." Rosie said concern dancing in her eyes.

"And I destroyed all of the beasts… along with the poison… we won't be able to gain any knowledge from their claws now…" cari said guilt gripping her heart. "If he doesn't make it … it'll be all my fault…"

Rosie quickly glanced at the red head "No, Cari that's not what I meant! Not at all! We had no way of knowing they were poisoned… you had no choice but to destroy those monsters to protect us. _None_ of this is your fault!" Rosie said sternly.

"She's right Cari you saved them, saved us. And don't worry we will think of a way to save Mallori." Lea said with confidence. "But I do wonder what caused those beasts to attack… are they native to this forest?" Lea asked looking around the odd forest.

"Mistress." Glyde started getting everyone's attention. "I believe they were possessed…I sensed strange dark magic coming off them." He mused.

"Dark magic?" They all said out loud.

"Then wouldn't that make the poison dark magic based…?" Lea mused. "If that's the case then fairy dust can cure it! Cari you can cure them!" She exclaimed.

Cari and Rosie stared at the musical fairy in shock. "She's right…" Rosie said before looking to Cari. "Fairy dust cures all ailments caused my dark magic… you can cleanse the poison!" Rosie said with a bright smile.

Cari nodded before shakily standing up, Glyde keeping close holding her steady.

"Are you sure you're up for this? You look pretty exhausted…" Lea asked concerned at how shaky Cari looked.

"If you don't have the energy then it can wait. As long as I keep the poison at bay he can wait until you've regained your strength. We don't want a sacrifice today." Rosie sternly said.

"Don't worry guys I have plenty of reserved magic left … panic if Glyde can't maintain his humanoid form or the contract breaks." Cari said as they glanced to Glyde, looking perfectly fine.

"My mistress is correct. I wouldn't take this form if she was life threateningly low on magic."

"There you go. It took a lot of willpower to aim that attack without hurting you guys. Combined with that large magic dump the spell required… I'm mainly just physically and mentally exhausted, I still have plenty of magic left. So I can do this… and you said it yourself, Mallori doesn't have time to wait."

Rosie and Lea looked at each other with concern before glancing at Glyde casually standing there looking as powerful as normal. "Ok Ca, i. Please cast your fairy dust." Rosie said as she paused in her healing and stepped away from the team.

Nodding Cari stood at Mallori's head, willing her legs to stay strong. But soon they gave out on her, forcing her to kneel.

' _I'm reaching my limit… need to hurry…'_

"umm… I'm most likely gonna pass out after this. I'll trust you guys to take care of the rest…"

"Of course! Leave it to us!" Lea confidently exclaimed.

"Don't fret Cari when you awaken we will safely be back at Alfea." Rosie said with a smile.

"I know I can trust you guys with not only my life, but Aiden's too." Cari looked down at Mallori's pained face. She reached out and gently brushed his bangs away from his face.

' _Manu was just as reckless…'_ Cari froze for a moment at that sudden thought. _'I don't know why I sometimes think of Manu with Mallori… sigh...but there's no way they are the same…'_

Cari closed her eyes mentally shaking her head to push away thoughts of the boy she met so long ago, before she began to summon her fairy dust. Soon a small vial that held her dust appeared in her hands.

' _Akira I'll need your help in control… this_ is _a powerful spell after all… can you do it?'_

' _Anything for Aiden and the ones who stood beside him in battle…'_

Nodding, she slowly stood as she opened it and focused its healing power on Mallori before moving to Aiden then Calleo.

As soon as she finished sprinkling her fairy dust on Cal, Cari sighed in relief as she felt her fairy form disappear before her world went dark…

…

Cari slowly opened her eyes, just to quickly close them again. "Ughhh why is it sooo bright? Why does my head hurt?" She said as covered her face with her hands.

"That's probably because you used too much brain power yesterday. You know you can't handle that much thinking at once."

Slowly lowering her hands, Cari turned her head to see Aiden seated beside her bed, a book open on his lap, a smirk on his lips.

"Hardy har har." She replied with narrowed eyes and a small smile. "Is that anyway to talk to your savior?" She teased before she fully recalled her memories. "O my gosh! Are you alright?!" she asked as she suddenly sat up… not at all expecting a sudden dizzy spell that hit her...hard. Swaying she felt her body falling out of bed.

Before she could hurt herself she felt familiar arms catch her. Once the room stopped spinning she looked up to see Aiden frowning at her.

"You should know better than to sit up so fast like that…" he softly scolded before he suddenly hugged her tightly.

Shocked she automatically wrapped her arms around him. "Aiden? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Need me to heal you?" She asked as she comfortingly rubbed his back.

He shook his head against her neck. "I was scared… I didn't think we would make it… I didn't think I would call you in time…I was scared for me… I was scared for my team..."

"It's ok Aiden…" Cari cooed "you're all ok now… you called me just in time… but... why didn't you call me sooner?" Her curiosity getting the better of her.

Leaning back Aiden reached into his pocket and pulled out his charm and broken chain. "One of the beasts sliced through the chain as I was pulling it out… I ended up losing it… and it took a while to find it… Calleo was actually the one who found it and got it back to me before a beast took him down…" he explained as he clutched the broken chain at the memory.

Cari reached over and placed a hand comfortingly on his clenched fist, gently opening it and taking the chain from him.

She closed her eyes as she covered the broken chain with her hands. Focusing she used her flame to meld the chain back together. Once done she held out the fixed chain, good as new.

"you guys worked hard together and sought out help in a helpless situation… you didn't give up in doing your best to protect your team… you could've given up or tried to defeat them on your own but you didn't... you called for help... you called me...I'm proud of you, Aidey, you did well." Cari said with a bright smile.

"Thanks sis. We really owe you one." Aiden said as he accepted the chain and threaded the charm through before slipping it over his head again. "I'm sure the guys want to thank you as well…"

"Speaking of which… are they ok? Are _you_ ok? What about Mallori?"

"Calleo and me are fine now… just need a bit more rest for a full recovery. But Mallori got the worst of it… he's stable enough... but he hasn't woken up yet. He lost a lot of blood so they're not sure when he'll wake up… or even _if_ …" Aiden said solemnly. " _He_ really did save our lives… if he didn't hold back the beasts like he did... I'm pretty sure you would've arrived to a different scene…"

Cari stared in shock. _'I thought the fairy dust would've healed him… did I do something wrong?'_

' _The dust cures any dark magic inflicted but it cannot replenish blood…'_ Akira said, slight sadness in her voice. Cari nodded her understanding.

"Can I go visit him?" She asked her brother.

Aiden nodded. Cari then started to pull the covers to stand. "Wait you meant now?" Aiden said as he pulled the covers back into place.

"Well _yea_ of course _now_." Cari said trying to push the covers off again just for Aiden to gently push her down and pull the covers up. "Will you _quit it_ … let me up…" she said getting frustrated.

"No I won't let you up until you get the all clear." Aiden sternly said.

"I told you _I'm fine_!"

"You almost fell off the bed. I don't think that's considered 'fine'…" Aiden said firmly holding the covers in place.

"That's different it won't happen again! Let me up!"

"Nope. Not happening." he said sitting down on the bed holding the covers in place making it almost impossible now to get up.

"Aiden~!" The fairy whined.

"Well, it sounds like you are doing much better."

They both looked to the door at the voice that interrupted them.

"Headmistress Faragonda!" Cari exclaimed as Aiden jumped up and slightly bowed to the headmistress in greeting. Cari took the chance to sit up; she began to pull the covers off to stand as well but was stopped when Faragonda raised her hand in silent request to stay where she was.

"No need to get up dear." The elderly fairy said with a gentle smile. Cari reluctantly nodded but stayed _seated_ under the covers.

"I am glad to see that you are both recovering well. I just wanted to check up on you myself." Faragonda said.

"Just as I was telling Aiden, _we_ are doing just _fine_. I actually wanted to go check on Calleo and Mallori." Cari said with innocent pleading eyes.

"I am sure they will be glad to see you visit."

"So may I go now?" Cari asked hopeful

"I don't see why not, as long as you take it easy and don't stay out too late. You'll make sure of that right Aiden?"

Aiden nodded "of course headmistress Faragonda."

"Good. Now tomorrow I expect the both of you, as your team's leaders, to stop by my office for a debriefing. If your teammates are able bring them as well." She waited unitl they both nodded before heading to door. "Send my regards to your teammates." she called over her shoulder before she softly closed the door behind her.

"Sweet! See I can go visit them. So let's get going!" the fairy exclaimed as she swung her feet off the bed, ignoring Aiden's eye roll.

"Fine I'll take you… but don't you want to change first? I would think it would be embarrassing to wander around like _that_." Aiden said pointing to her clothing.

Looking down confused, Cari realized she was wearing a short pink silk nightgown. "What? Who?" the fairy exclaimed trying to cover the revealing gown.

"Who else…" Aiden smirked with a shrug.

"Rosalie…" she groaned as Aiden held out some fresh clothes for her. "Thanks" She said gratefully accepting his offering.

"I'll wait for you outside. Take your time."

….

"Cari it's so great to see you!" Cal exclaimed as the fairy entered the Specialist's recovery room.

"Hey Cal. Hey Lea. How you guys doing?" Cari greeted Cal who was sitting on the bed facing Lea who was on a chair beside him.

"I'm doing much better. Thanks to you, Rosie, and Lea. Thank you for saving us. I'm not sure we would've made it without you three." he stood and bowed in gratitude to both fairies.

"There's no need to bow! We just did what anyone would've done." Cari said

"Yea, we couldn't just ignore an SOS call." Lea added

"Oo speaking of… I wanted to ask: what was the deal with your charm Aiden? You said that it would send out a distress call and send help. I was thinking it would call the school but... why did Cari appear? And why did it only activate when it was in _your_ hands?"

"uhh… well you see, I love my boyfriend sooo much I gave him a charm to summon me whenever he's in trouble…?" Cari hesitantly said.

' _You need to work on your lying… that was pathetic…'_ Akira chided

' _It's easy to lie to politicians since I don't care what they think… but lying to friends is… harder…'_

"But you…" Cal was cut off when Rosie entered the room.

"Oo hello everyone." She sweetly greeted. To which they greeted in return.

"Where have you been Rosie?" Lea asked "and what's in the cooler?"

"oo i was working on a new supplement to restore fatigue and blood loss. And I think I perfected it." She said as she pulled out a thermos and some cups.

Everyone's faces dropped as soon as the saw the disgustingly dark brown liquid being poured into the white cups.

She handed one to Aiden first which he automatically accepted out of politeness, but groaned as he looked at the substance in his hand.

Next was Calleo who tried to politely reject it. "umm… I'm not sure if I'm allergic to anything in your... supplement. I wouldn't want to stay here longer than need to. But I appreciate the thought."

"oo don't worry. I already checked, none of you are allergic to anything in here. I made sure of that." Rosie said with a smile.

"Oh how… thoughtful… thank you." cal said as he reluctantly accepted the cup not having another excuse to use.

"Here you go Cari, enjoy."

"uhh… I'm good Rosie I don't need it…" cari said gently pushing the nasty looking drink back to the brunette.

"You need to take it Cari. It will make you feel better faster." Rosie said with slight glare

"But you know I heal pretty fast… so there's no real need for me to take it…" Cari said hoping she could get out of drinking it.

"Then it will help healing you even faster. You want to be able to train tomorrow don't you?"

"Yes, but… it's not fair that Lea doesn't have to drink one!" Cari pointed out, where Lea just shrugged.

"Lea's already made a full recovery. There would be no point for her to drinking this. Now hurry up."

"but it smells…"

"hold your breath."

"I don't think I will be able to hold it down…" Cari whined, desperate at that point.

"As long as some is in your system it will help you..." Rosie looked at the red head and saw she wasn't going to drink it at that rate so she decided to try a different tactic _'sigh_.' "Come on Cari you wouldn't want to be banned from ACS for the rest of the week would you? Or even have Aiden recover faster than you. Not to mention you wouldn't be able to help anyone if you're weakened." Rosie chided

"Yea Cari, who am I gonna call if I get into trouble again?" Aiden said as he stared at his sister with puppy dog eyes. If he was going to have to suffer this concoction down then she would have to too, and he knew his sister would do it if he pleaded sweetly.

Cari tried to look away but couldn't stop herself "ughh fineee…" she finally groaned as she glared at her brother than the concoction in her hand before quickly chugging it down.

When all the contents were gone she threw the cup into the recycling bin across the room. "That was worse than the smell… what the heck was _in_ that Rosie?"

"O just some natural energy restoring items." she vaguely answered with a shrug.

"As in?" Calleo asked eyeing the half finished cup in his hands.

"Well if you guys really want to know then I'll tell you, but please don't waste my marvelous tonic." Rosie said with a mischievous smirk.

' _I know that face… that's her 'you're going to regret it face'...'_ before the brunette could speak another word Cari exclaimed: "you know what, I don't want to know! Aiden let's go visit Mallori please!"

"Sure he's just one room down." Aiden said as he threw his now empty cup into the recycling bin.

"I'll come visit you again soon ok Cal?" Cari said as she walked towards the door.

She looked back to hear Rosie say: "I can still tell you're curious. Want to know?" Cari shook her head as she heard her friend whisper right before loud gagging sound. "Hey I told you not to waste it!" Rosie exclaimed.

"What do you think was in that stuff?" Aiden asked as they knocked on Mallori's recovery room door.

"Trust me it's probably best we don't know…" cari said as they entered the room.

Her heart sank as she saw a once strong and stubborn Specialist looking so frail and sick on the bed.

"He pushed his damaged body too far and lost a little over two pints of blood. Not to mention that since he kept fighting after he was poisoned, it spread and damaged his body faster than me or Cal… we owe him our lives…" Aiden said as he looked at his teammate with a solemn expression.

' _Looks like Aiden found his perfect team… it will destroy him if Mallori is lost…'_ Cari thought to herself.

"But they gave him more blood right? And my fairy dust should've healed him from the damage done by the dark magic. So he should be fine right? I don't get why he isn't waking up…" Cari said in a rush. "Did I cast the spell wrong?" She asked softly

"No. You didn't do anything wrong. You _saved_ him, Cari. He wouldn't be alive right now if you and your team weren't there for us." Aiden sternly said.

In that moment a nurse entered the room.

"Why hello there are you friends of his." She asked as she checked Mallori's vitals and took notes.

"Uh… yes. He's on my team. I'm Aiden." Aiden replied before motioning to his sister. "And this is Cari. Her fairy dust cured Mallori of the dark magic's poison."

"Ah. He was lucky to have an Enchantix Fairy at his aide. From what I read that poison was a powerful and tricky one. You did well." The nurse praised with a smile.

"...but was it enough? Was I too late? Why won't he wake up? There are so many healers here shouldn't he be fine by now?" Cari asked avoiding eye contact with the tiny nurse; as she felt her worry slowly begin to turn into frustration. "Can't they do anything _more_? What about Rosie? She's amazing with healing magic…" Cari sharply said as she began to fiddle with her hair.

"Cari…" Aiden softly said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and saw him shake his head. What was the point in getting upset with the nurse who was only doing her job...

"Rosie?" The nurse said ignoring the sharp tone Cari just gave her. "Oo the nature fairy, right? Yes, she's very talented, she's the reason he's still alive. Without her and you, he wouldn't have made it … but there is only so much magic can do…" The nurse said as she sadly glanced down at Mallori. "His body is slowly recovering even with the assist of magic… but it seems that the poison was a bit more _complicated_ than we thought…"

"Complicated? How?" Cari asked.

"Well, it had strong and dark hallucinogenic properties, along with aggressively attacking major organs while hiding behind numerous minor ailments." The nurse replied. "The poison may have been cured but some of its effects are still active. At least the mental ones."

"Huh?" Cari looked up to Aiden in hopes he could clarify.

"That poison made us _see_ things… specifically, it made us _experience_ our worst nightmares." He decided to go in depth at Cari's questioning expression. "It wasn't like a normal nightmare, where you would at least have the sense to know it wasn't real or have something odd to tell you something was off… but this made everything feel extremely real. Nothing in that nightmare would be off; sights, sounds, touch, personalities, words, even colors... everything made sense and flowed flawlessly it was almost impossible to know it _wasn't_ real. And because of that… made it hard escape, to not to accept it as a fact… to not fall into despair…" Aiden said, eyes clouding over as he recalled what he experienced while under the poison's effects.

"So because he had so much more poison in his system and spread so far, he is having trouble escaping the nightmare…?" Cari clarified as she reached over to hug her brother, thinking she will have to ask him later if he wanted to talk about his nightmare.

"Correct." The nurse said with a sad smile. "Right now we can heal his body but it will be a challenge to heal his mind… magic can only do so much..."

Cari nodded her understanding before the nurse excused herself and left the three students alone once again.

"What about Mama?" Cari asked when they were alone again. "She was able to save Papa and others from similar spells before; she can do it for Mallori!" She said hopefully as she pulled out her phone.

Aiden shook his head. "She's out on a secret mission with the Winx. Papa doesn't know when she'll be back…"

Cari was speechless for a moment. "Then what can we do?" She whispered softly not really expecting to be heard.

"All we can do is wait and hope he wakes up…" Aiden said as he comfortingly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close.

They both sat in Mallori's room talking to each other, and talking to him hoping he would get annoyed enough to wake up and tell them off. But no such luck, even when Rosie, Lea and Calleo joined them there was no change.

Soon night had fallen.

Rosie stood up and addressed the group. "Come. It's getting late, time for bed. The faster we all recover the better."

"Yea, we can come bother Mr. Gloomy in the morning." Lea added as she stood and walked out the door, everyone following her.

Cari lingered behind. Once the room was empty she stepped closer to the bed. Reaching out she gently brushed the bangs from his face. _'He doesn't look too bad without that frown on all the time…'_

"Thank you for saving him." She whispered to the unconscious Specialist. "For saving them both. You're a real hero, my hero… please wake up soon Mallori they aren't a team without you…" she gently squeezed his slightly cold hand before turning to leave the room.

…

' _Cari you must get some sleep. How do you expect to recover staying up all night?'_ Akira told her fairy.

' _It's not_ that _late… only…'_ cari turned to look at the clock beside her bed. _'Four… in the morning… groan… ok yea, its super late but I can't sleep! There has to be_ something _I can do to help Mallori! Maybe I can go out and search for Mama myself… shouldn't be too hard right?'_

' _yawn… and where do you plan to_ start _your search for the queen? Even the king was unsure about her whereabouts.'_ Akira commented groggily.

Cari thought _'Umm… yea I have no idea. But there has to be a way to do something…'_

' _Well, why don't_ you _try to heal him?'_ Akira said after a moment of silence.

' _If Rosie couldn't do it what makes you think_ I _can?'_ Cari asked slightly annoyed. Akira knew she couldn't heal as well as freshman let alone Rosie…

' _You have the potential to be as skilled as the Queen, your powers_ are _from the Dragon Flame after all… not to mention you were born from the strong emotions your parents share with one another... so in theory, it should react to your strong desire to save Mallori… theoretically… but that theory is based off you having your pendant. With it the chance to succeed would be much higher, but without it… it might not be possible at all.'_

' _Ughhh! Why would you get my hopes up just to end in a lecture about how careless I was to give away that thing! What's done is done Akira! Get over it! We will never see Manu again!'_ Cari exclaimed as she pulled her covers over her head in frustration.

Akira was taken aback from the raw emotion that she felt. _'Cari…? Are you ok?'_

Cari reached up and released her hair clip from her hair to look at it _. 'We made a promise to meet again but it's been so long… and you're right… if he was still alive he should've reached out to me by now… it's not like I'm hiding or anything. You can ask anyone and they will pretty much know who I am… He probably perished with that destroyed village long ago…'_

' _What brought this on? You were always so sure he was still alive, even going to check that clearing every now and then…'_

' _I dunno… just recently Mallori has been reminding me of him, a lot, like thinking they might be the same person kind of thing… but I know that that can't be true… he would've known it was me the second time we met right? Just by hearing my name would've prompted him to ask… but he didn't... not to mention they have different eye color and name…and I would think I would be able to sense my pendent on him… but nothing… there is no way they are the same person. I just think it's time that I stop looking for Manu and just accept we won't see each other again…'_ Cari gently ran her thumb over the shrunken knife.

' _Cari…'_ Akira started, but at a loss for the right words. But before she was given a chance to say anymore Cari sat up in bed and placed her hair clip back in place.

' _Anyway, no time for that… right now we need to focus on the now… and right now Mallori needs a miracle that I_ might _be able to give. I know without my pendant the chance of this working is slim to none, but there is still a slim chance to help.'_ Slipping on her flats she quietly left her room.

' _But I told you the chances of this working is practically impossible!'_ Akira said as Cari silently walked down the hall to enter Mallori's room.

' _There is still a chance… even if that chance is only 1 percent it's still a chance. It won't hurt to try.'_ Cari walked over to stand right next to Mallori. She reached over and brushed his bangs from his face. _'He tried his best for Aiden and Cal… so why can't we do the same?'_

' _Very well. We shall try. You will need to be in your fairy form and your dust.'_ Akira advised

Cari nodded before she transformed and summoned her fairy dust. _'Ready Akira?'_

' _Ready_.'


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The early morning light shone brightly through the window.

A certain Specialist grumbles his annoyance at the blinding sun. As he wills his hand to cover his eyes he was startled to feel something slightly tighten around his hand and hold it in place.

Being dazed he didn't react like he normally would've- jumping out of bed into an offensive position- instead, he curiously squeezed back before turning his head towards the odd sensation.

Forcing his eyes open he curiously looked through half lidded eyes to see a girl with light red and purple hair tightly gripping his hand, sleeping soundly while leaning on his bed. The bright morning light had her hair glowing around her, like a soft fire.

Eyes still blurred by sleep he couldn't help but feel nostalgia as he watched the sleeping girl.

"You're _her_ … from my dream…" His eyes widened in shock

"Mmm… -lori… get better…" she mumbled in her sleep.

Her words shocked him from his daze, his eyes finally focused and fully recognized the sleeping fairy desperately holding onto his hand. "What's she doing here?"

As he pondered the situation there was a quiet knock on the door. Turning his head he saw Aiden slowly opening the door. Mallori watched silently as Aiden glanced over to Cari's sleeping form and sighed in relief before walking in and looking up.

Mallori didn't know how to respond to Aiden's shocked expression when they locked eyes.

"Mallori you're awake!" He excitedly exclaimed, startling the recovering Specialist.

"Ugh and you're too _loud_ …" Mallori groaned.

"Sorry…" Aiden said quieter. "I just… didn't expect you to be conscious…"

Mallori arched a questioning brow. "Don't you remember? We were attacked on our mission by those beasts… before Cari rescued us _you_ protected me and Calleo when we were taken down." Aiden summarized. "You were badly wounded and unconscious for a couple days now. The dark poison spread through your body faster since you were fighting for so long and really took its toll on you. You were pretty touch and go there for a while, the doctors weren't sure if you were ever going to wake up." He looked fondly down at the sleeping fairy. "I guess Cari didn't like that diagnosis and decided to try to heal you in the middle of the night…"

Mallori followed Aiden's line of sight, down at the fairy and realized they were still holding hands. In a panicked rush, he pulled his hand away.

When Aiden gave him a questioning glance, Mallori slightly turned away before mumbling "…I know she's yours…"

"Wait, Mallori you still don't-" Aiden was cut off when Cari started to sit up.

"Hmm… what's the big idea?" She whined, rubbing her tired eyes. Looking up, it took her a moment to realize that Mallori was staring back at her. "Mallori! You're awake! It worked! It really worked!" She bounced up off the chair and gave Mallori a tight hug.

She stepped back and smiled brightly at his dumbfounded face. She looked back when his eyes focused on something behind her. It didn't take her long to notice Aiden, where she quickly tackled him in her excitement. "Aiden! It worked! It worked!"

Hugging her back he gently patted her head. "It sure did. What _did_ you do exactly?"

"I used my fairy dust! It took _a lot_ of effort but I did it! Akira said it was practically impossible without my pendant but I wanted to try anyway. He did save _you_ after all, how could I _not_ try!" She said beaming with happiness before she turned to face Mallori again. "How do you feel? Are you in pain? Groggy? Thirsty?" She asked in a rush.

"You're too noisy…" he glanced between the siblings before adding: "and be more mindful…"

Cari slightly cocked her head to the side in confusion "Huh? What do you mean?"

Before either could answer her, the nurse walked in. It was obvious she was going to scold them for being so loud so early in the morning, but when she noticed that her patient was awake she quickly called for the doctor instead.

...

Soon Mallori was going through a number of tests to make sure he was recovering properly, while the siblings waited patiently outside his room.

"You are amazing Cari! I can't believe you managed to wake him up" Aiden praised, the excited smile never leaving his face.

"I'm so happy it worked. I was really worried I would fail…" Cari responded with a glance at Mallori's door.

A moment of comfortable silence passed before Aiden decided to speak again.

"Cari…?"

The fairy hummed her response with a smile and waited for him to continue.

"There's something you need to know… about Calleo…"

"What about him? Is he ok? Did his condition get worse?" Cari began to worry and she started to stand with the intention of going to his room, but Aiden grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving.

"No, he's fine. Nothing is wrong… exactly… it's just that… he kn-…"

"Hey, Cari!" Both looked and saw Lea and Rosie walking down the hall towards them. Aiden released his sister's hand so she could go greet her friends.

"Hey, girls. You are pretty early." Cari greeted

"We thought you guys might want a delicious breakfast instead of whatever they were going to serve you here." Lea pointed to the large basket Rosie was holding.

"O did you really cook for us, Rosie?" Cari beamed. The brunette nodded reflecting Cari's smile.

"Sure did and they are all nutritious and strengthening dishes. As well as more of my special tonic."

"O how… great…" Cari internally groaned.

' _You should probably have a double dose of that tonic…'_ Akira commented.

' _And why in heaven's name would I do that?'_ Cari snapped.

' _Simple… it works. It helped you recover enough power to heal Mallori. Best to recover your magic faster.'_ Akira replied.

' _What's wrong with taking it easy for a while? It's better than forcing down that nasty stuff…'_

' _Please take my advice, Cari. You must recover as quickly as possible.'_

' _Why? What's wrong?'_ Cari grew concerned at Akira's tone

' _Nothing, really. Just you should always be at full force for anything…for example Mallori might need more healing. And not to mention we still don't know what went wrong in the Prince's mission. It was obvious he was targeted or at least the cargo… they may strike again…'_

"Good point. We will have to go talk to Headmistress Faragonda today…" Cari mused. As they entered Calleo's room and greeted the Specialist.

"What was that Cari?" Aiden asked. Cari rubbed the back of her neck realizing she voiced her last thought out loud.

"Uh… nothing just remembering that we agreed to talk to Faragonda today" Cari replied.

"True. And now we have some very good news to tell her." Aiden smiled before turning back to Calleo. "Speaking of… will you be able to attend?"

"Of course. My wounds are pretty much healed." Cal replied confidently.

"That's good to hear." Lea commented with a smile.

"Do you girls have time to come with us too?" Cari asked her friends.

"Sure I don't mind." Lea replied.

"I am free as well." Rosie added.

"Thanks, girls… and thanks for everything else." Cari said with a sincere smile

"Don't mention it. You know we always have your back, just like you do us." Lea said as she pat Cari on the back.

All Cari could do was nod and smile, thankful she had friends like these.

"Umm… I do have a question." Calleo interrupted softly. "What was the good news you mentioned?"

"Mallori's awake!" Cari immediately replied.

Everyone was shocked but soon cheered at the news. "That's awesome!" Lea exclaimed.

"Indeed. That is definitely wonderful news." Rosie added.

"How'd he awaken? I thought the doctors said it would take longer for him to regain consciousness." Calleo asked with an excited smile.

"Cari managed to heal him with her fairy dust." Aiden proudly said. Making Cari slightly blush.

"Great job Cari… but it makes me wonder… how _much_ power did you need to accomplish that?" Rosie asked eyeing the red head carefully. Cari flinched under the brunettes stare.

"Uhh… not much…?" She carefully responded. Rosie, obviously not pleased with that answer, turned to Aiden.

"How _much_?" She asked him locking eyes

"Uhh… I'm not sure…" He took a nervous step back. When she refused to back down he couldn't help but blurt out: "I just know I found her early this morning in Mallori's room, deep asleep. It took a minute for her wake up after I arrived." He sighed in relief when the brunette released him from her stare.

"Adien!" Cari scolded.

"What? You know I can't lie to _her_!" He replied in defense.

"You used up a large amount didn't you?" Rosie interrupted with a stern look.

"Uhh… maybe…?" Cari replied with a nervous smile.

 _Sigh_. "I am proud you healed Mallori, Cari. But it was reckless to do it when you yourself are recovering as well. Please be more careful in the future."

Shocked that she wasn't getting scolded like she thought she would, it took Cari a moment to process and nod "I will Rosie. Thanks for worrying about me."

"Good now that that's settled. It's time for breakfast…" Everyone cheered as they quickly filled their plates. "And Cari?"

"Yea?" she looked to Rosie from her plate.

"I expect you to drink _two_ cups of my tonic before we go meet the headmistress." Rosie smiled as she pulled out her thermos.

Cari swallowed hard and tried to complain, but noticing that Rosie wasn't going to change her mind and Aiden was suddenly very focused on his food, she knew she had no choice. Reluctantly she nodded as she accepted the first cup from Rosie.

' _I should've known I wouldn't have gotten away without a punishment… I think I'd rather get a lecture than drink this...'_ Cari mused as Akira giggled.

…

The group stood and waited silently as Aiden knocked on the Headmistress' door.

"Come in!" Faragonda called out. They all entered and were slightly surprised to see Headmaster Saladin and Riven already in the office.

"Ahh. Hello, everyone. I am pleased to see that you are all recovering well." Faragonda said as the students nodded their greetings.

"I hear Mallori has woken up." Riven smirked towards Cari who smiled back.

"And I hear that is all thanks to you, young Cari." Saldin praised.

"Yes, you did well Cari. I am very proud of you." Fargonda added. Cari slightly blushed in embarrassment at the attention she was getting as she simply nodded her thanks. "Now I am sure you all know why I called you here. I would like to discuss the mission incident." She said with a serious tone. "Aiden, Calleo… I would like to hear what you two experienced first, please."

Taking a small step forward Aiden gave his recount of the story.

"The mission simply consisted of returning a stolen family heirloom to its rightful owner. As instructed we took the assigned route. Everything was going smoothly and as scheduled… but once we were passing the Barrier Mountains our ship suddenly started to lose power. We quickly lost altitude and crash landed.

"Taking precautions and securing the heirloom we exited our ship to assess the situation. After a short moment, we were surrounded by a fair amount of beasts. At the time we assumed that we had landed in their territory and were angered. Seeing that something was jamming our communication, we were forced to defend ourselves.

"We managed to dispose of the beasts that originally surrounded us… we thought we were in the clear and free to make repairs to our ship. But we were mistaken, a few minutes later another wave of beasts appeared. This time a far larger amount appeared… far too large to defeat against." He took a quick side glance at Cari before continuing "Looking at the odds I knew our chances of winning or simply retreating into the woods were extremely slim… not without a sacrifice. Now, I know my team is capable of incredible things, don't get me wrong… but I knew we wouldn't be able to win on our own. And I didn't want to lose anyone… We had to send out a distress call, but with communications down, we were at a loss at what to do. So I decided to send out _my_ distress call… I decided to summon Cari."

Saladin placed a firm hand on Aiden's shoulder. "You showed the signs of a _true_ leader, my boy. I know it must've been a conflicting decision to make in calling Cari, but you made the _correct_ one. You have made me proud." Aiden nodded before Saladin stepped back and motioned for him to continue.

"Once I made the decision I knew I had to be quick. I started to pull out my charm, but before I could activate it a beast attacked me and broke the chain… I lost track of the charm… at that point, the beasts had started to attack freely. We were able to hold them off for the most part, but there were too many to defend against forever. I managed to inform Calleo and Mallori of the importance of my charm, they helped me search for it while fighting. Thankfully, Calleo was able to find it and throw it to me before a beast snuck up and attacked him from behind.

"Seeing he was knocked down and defenseless, I threw my sword at the beast behind Calleo, killing it, before it did any more damage. Once my charm was in my hands, I managed to activate it. Unfortunately, I didn't notice a couple of beasts charging at me to dodge in time…

"The first one managed to knock me down, and as I was losing consciousness I saw Mallori kill the first beast from a distance with his knives. Seeing that he was completely surrounded I ordered him to run away- I knew Cari would show up soon- but as usual, he ignored my orders. The last thing I remember was the portal opening… the next moment I was waking up in a hospital bed. I'm not sure what happened in between..." Aiden finished with a sigh.

"Cari, can you enlighten us with your part please?" Riven asked the fairy who nodded and stepped forward to stand beside Aiden.

"As soon as the portal opened up in front of me I immediately flew through it. The first thing I did once through, was burn the beast that was about to kill Aiden." Cari started with a grimace. "Once it was ash, my attention was drawn to Mallori. I saw he was surrounded by a horde of beasts, three of which pounced to attack him. Noticing that he was wounded and wouldn't dodge in time, I immediately flew to assist. I managed to take care of them but Mallori collapsed from his wounds. He told me to leave him and only care for Aiden and Calleo, but of course, I chose to ignore him… I wasn't going to leave _anyone_ behind.

"Luckily Lea and Rosie followed me and they helped in stabilizing and defending the boys while I turned those nasty beasts to ash." Cari said with a smirk. "Once they were taken care of I used my fairy dust to heal the dark poison. Since I used a good portion of my magic, I lost consciousness…" Cari said looking towards her friends with a small smile. "But I knew my team could handle the rest."

"Shall I finish the story?" Rosie said stepping forward. Faragonda nodded her approval. "Cari's fairy dust managed to stabilize the boys enough to return to Alfea. Thankfully, Lea managed to inform Professor Wizgiz of the situation before we left Alfea so it was a blessing to have a medical crew immediately assist as soon as we returned. Once I gave them the necessary information, Lea and I returned to crash site. Lea left a barrier around their ship as a precaution and it was a good thing she did…" Rosie turned and indicated to Lea to tell them why.

"My barriers are a bit different than most, even though I am far away I am still connected to them. Their vibrations will reach me regardless of where I am. That said, while we were here I felt someone _prodding_ against the barrier I left around the boy's ship. It felt like they were trying to find a way in without bringing the barrier down." Lea nodded to Rosie to let her know she was done and to continue.

"Taking Glyde with us, we immediately returned to the ship," Rosie continued "but the culprit was nowhere to be seen. Deciding not to pursue we secured the area until Red Fountain sent their retrieval team. As we waited we discovered a few things: 1. This attack was premeditated. The location was filled with a dark magical presence. Whoever attacked them was waiting for them in that area for a long period of time. Another reason to support this is Glyde indicated that the beasts had a dark aura _controlling_ them; they did not attack on their own accord. In order to summon and control that many creatures will take a good amount of time and magic to accomplish. Thus supporting the premeditation.

"2. They were after the item the boys were assigned to deliver."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Saladin asked.

"By the way, the beasts were attacking and how their positions were at their demise. I have proof of this. The retrieval team did not get an aerial view of the area, so they were not able to see this..." Rosie held out her phone which showed a projection of crash site.

Riven took a closer look and then read the notes in his hands. "There's no mention of this picture in the retrieval team's assessment…" He mused as he skimmed through the papers. "Did you not share this finding with them?"

"Riven how _dare_ you think that?!" Cari exclaimed stepping towards her teacher to defend her team. "My team knows the procedure very well! How coul-"

"Cari…" Rosie cut her off, with a gentle smile that told her to settle down.

With a huff Cari stepped back and crossed her arms in annoyance as she mumbled an apology to the headmasters.

"I am not surprised that you don't see mention of the photo in their notes, professor Riven." Rosie calmly started again. "When I mentioned it to them they were quick to dismiss me. Claiming and I quote: 'Fairies aren't capable in doing any kind of detective work, or belong on a battlefield. So go flitter back home already.' End quote. Seeing that we had thoroughly investigated the area we took him up on his offer and returned to campus." Rosie said with a mischievous expression.

Riven snickered. "No wonder they called for another ship to pick them up. They assumed they were going back the same way they arrived, through a fairy's portal, the same fairy they insulted. A fitting form of revenge for you. I will need to have a word with them… not only did they insult their comrade's rescuers they did not notice anything you did as essential." Riven voiced. Saladin shook his head in disappointment before he addressed the brunette.

"I apologize for my student's behavior we will see to it they are reprimanded." He promised.

"O there is no need to punish them. I am sure they have learned their lesson." She said with a sweet smile.

"Well, _I_ think they need another lesson…" Cari commented. Rosie glanced at her, making her huff. "Just a thought…" Cari said as she shrugged.

Saladin chuckled "Very well, per your request my dear they will not be punished but we _will_ have a word with them. They did, after all, ignore proper procedure and didn't take all evidence into consideration." Rosie nodded her understanding. "Now was there anything else you discovered?"

"Yes, one other thing. I found this in the ship…" Rosie reached into her small bag and pulled out a slightly glowing small glass case with an odd looking flower inside.

"Umm… Rosie what _is_ that?" Cari asked as she stared at the plant.

"This plant is called Levis Vispilio, or better known as the 'Light Stealer'. It's a dark plant that steals power- mainly light or electricity- around it. On its own, it will only eat power if it feels threatened and only enough to weaken the thing threatening it, sometimes even using the power it steals as a defensive weapon in the form of a small flash bomb. But if accompanied with magic or third party it can steal everything in the vicinity. This includes all the power a Red Fountain ship holds rendering it unable to function." Rosie said.

"Uhh… is it _safe_ to have it here?" Cari asked.

"No worries. The jar is enchanted with a spell that won't allow it to do any harm." Rosie replied with a smile. Cari nodded.

"Are you sure this _little_ plant can bring down a ship? Those are more than just electricity and wires; they have magic in them too." Riven asked with an arched brow.

"Looks can be deceiving, professor. I assure you this single 'little' plant is the reason for the sudden power drain and crash landing. The only thing I don't know is _how_ it came to be on the ship… which comes to my fourth discovery… or maybe it is more of a theory… this plant is very rare and can only be found in isolated areas, if not grown in captivity. There was no way for it to have _accidentally_ made its way onto the ship, nor have stolen all the ship's power on its own… forcing it to crash land in the exact area where an ambush was awaiting them…" Rosie paused to allow her words to sink in.

Calleo was the first to speak up. "Are you saying that this ambush was an _inside_ job?" Everyone was too shocked to say anything.

"That is _one_ possibility, yes." Rosie stated clearly. "Other possibilities include: Red Fountain was infiltrated, possibly by a familiar or even an invisibility spell and planted the Levis Vispilio when the cargo was being loaded.

"Another is its seeds attached to the previous driver of that ship who coincidentally was around this particular plant. And the culprit was able to sense the seeds as you flew by.

"Or as you three were flying above the desired location your attacker managed to get the plant inside your ship somehow… Now, these are only _possibilities_ and each has a flaw that makes them seem impossible… but we don't believe in the impossibility now do we?" Rosie smirked at Cari who smirked back. "Anything is technically possible with the right skill or knowledge… Now I'm not sure which scenario is the correct one, but there is the _one_ thing I am _absolutely_ positive on... the fact that this plant did _not_ act on its own accord. It is not physically capable of doing such things, it is, after all, just a plant …it was planted –for lack of better terms- and was magically _forced_ to fully activate its defense mechanism." Rosie finished.

"I am impressed you have thought this far, Rosalie." Saladin praised as Rosie tucked the plant back into her bag.

She simply shrugged. "If anyone harms a friend then, of course, we will do everything in our power to find out whom. How else will we return the favor?" She said with an overly sweet smile.

Cari had a chill go down her spine at Rosie's words. _'She's angrier than she lets on… I thought_ I _was the one with the heated temper and dead set on revenge on who hurt Aiden and his team, but she takes it to a whole new level…'_

' _I do believe you are rubbing off on her… or something_ else _is at play…'_ Akira commented.

' _Like what?'_

' _Perhaps we will find out in due time…'_ Akira deflected.

"Ahh. Yes, point taken." Saladin replied. "If there is nothing else to report, then I must officially thank you three." He slightly bowed. "Thank you, Cari, Talea, and Rosalie for ensuring the safe return of my students and your help with this investigation." He stood up straight and turned to Riven. "Now Riven, we will need to dig deeper into the importance of this heirloom… if someone desires it to go to _these_ lengths then it must hold some value to _someone_."

"I will start a thorough investigation immediately." Riven replied. "I hope that we will be able to work together on this, Rosie."

"It will be my pleasure, Professor Riven." She replied with a smile.

"You all did very well." Faragonda praised. "Now I do expect you all want to return to check on Mallori, but there is one thing that I must ask before you go. Cari would you like us to keep that fact that you were directly involved in the rescue hidden from the public? We can give the credit to your friends or to a group of passing fairies."

"Why would you want to hide her involvement?" Aiden sharply asked the headmistress, the frustration of this whole ordeal finally getting to him. "Everyone should know she saved us! She _deserves_ the credit!"

"I agree. She more than deserves the credit, but if her involvement is known then that might cause some… complications. Now with the presence of dark magic, it will make things a bit more… challenging." Faragonda responded carefully in an even tone, ignoring his outburst.

"Why? Just because dark magic was involved you think people will suspect her of being the _cause_ of the crash instead of the savior? If they do, then I will have a word with them, but _everyone_ should know that my sister saved us and the heirloom!"

"Aiden! _Enough_!" Cari cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder and forcing him to look at her. Once they locked eyes she softly smiled and in a soft tone told him: "Calm down. Headmistress Faragonda is right. I don't want anyone knowing I was a part of this rescue." She turned back to the headmistress. "I don't want the credit please keep my involvement hidden from the public."

"We also would like to be kept from the public eye." Rosie added and Lea nodded her agreement.

Faragonda nodded. "Very well. We will just mention an anonymous group decided to aid the team when they witnessed they were in trouble."

They all nodded their thanks and Aiden apologized for his outburst before they left the office.

Once outside everyone took a deep calming breath.

"Well, that was more intense than I thought it would be." Lea commented.

"But at least we are now taking a step in the right direction in finding the ones responsible." Rosie added. "You were wise to stay out of the limelight Cari."

"Sweet! … wait why?" Cari asked as she turned to Rosie.

Rosie stared at her in shock for a moment before she gave a small smile and giggle. "You _would_ simply just dislike the attention. Regardless, it was good you chose to keep your involvement hidden from the public… now you will be free to investigate without a dark shadow lurking behind you."

"I still don't get it…" Cari said trying to understand what her friend was trying to explain.

"What I mean is that in order to keep the attack _seem_ like an accident the culprit would've stayed far away and hidden, unable to _see_ who rescued the boys. Meaning _anyone_ could've come to their rescue… and _anyone_ could be assigned to the investigation…" Rosie said

"And if the culprit _is_ someone on the inside and they _knew_ _you_ were involved" Calleo added "they surely would know _you_ of all people would stop at _nothing_ to find the attacker of your beloved 'boyfriend' and keep a very close eye on you. If they do then whatever you find will actually help _them_ in staying in the shadows. We would _never_ find them at that point…" Calleo finished, everyone missing the fact he used air quotes when he said 'boyfriend'.

"Wow… looks like I'm pretty clever after all. Good thing we stayed anonymous then." Cari said proudly

"Yes, a very good thing. Now we will be able to hunt down the ones responsible and give them a fitting punishment." Rosie said with a menacing grin.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side…" Lea said causing everyone to laugh.

"It was good to hear everyone's account on what happened." Calleo mused after everyone calmed in their laughter. "I was curious about the details after I lost consciousness… which reminds me… I must properly thank Aiden's sister for saving us." Cari froze when Cal slightly bowed in front of her. "Thank you, Cari, for answering your brother's call and coming to our aid."

Cari was frozen in place. Internally screaming as she panicked. She didn't know what to do or say as Cal's words fully processed in her mind.

As she internally panicked Cal was thanking Rosie and Lea as well.

' _How are they_ not _freaking out about this… he knows! But how! We were so careful…'_ Cari internally exclaimed.

' _If you are going to_ try _and persuade him otherwise you need to_ calm down _and say_ something _!'_ Akira reprimanded.

'What _do I say?_ '

'Anything _! Try the first thing that comes to mind…'_ the dragon snapped.

"H-how do you know?" Cari asked out loud.

' _Anything but_ that _! You practically confirmed it!'_ Anita exclaimed.

"I mean what makes you say we're siblings?" Cari tried to cover up.

Cal looked at her with slight confusion but decided to answer honestly. "Honestly I was always slightly suspicious of you two. Since your first encounter with Mallori, actually. Aiden stopped the fight correct? He touched you while you had your flaming armor on _and_ walked away unscathed. Even before our meeting, I heard of your armor, how it burns anything or anyone. Seeing Aiden unharmed told me you two had some sort of connection, but for some reason was hiding it. At first, I thought it was because he didn't want to be associated with the supposed 'cursed princess'..." Cal raised his hands in surrender when he saw the glares he was receiving from everyone "hey I never took the rumors seriously! I could tell right off the bat she was far from cursed or evil…" Cal quickly explained.

"But anyway," He said clearing his throat, now that he was no longer getting death glares. "My original theory was discounted when you started training us; Aiden showed no signs of disgust when you were around if anything it was borderline worship…"

"Hey!" Aiden exclaimed, blushing slightly while Lea snickered "Major Sister Complex~"

Calleo ignored them both and just continued "…then when I found out you often leave little presents for Aiden and how happy Aiden was to receive them I knew your relationship was closer than we were lead to believe. When you announced you were dating I knew something was off but mainly ignored it… mainly because I couldn't think of any other possible solution for your behavior. But I didn't think you were related until you burst through the portal and exclaimed to the beast attacking Aiden: 'don't touch my little brother'. That's when it all clicked and made complete sense." Cal finished with a shrug.

"but… how?" Cari stuttered

"How what?"

"no one knew about the fight or presents… how do you know?"

"oo well, for the fight I was outside right below you during the last few moments. Mainly in time to see Aiden order the headmasters around before jumping towards you… as for the presents sometimes I arrived early to practice and I saw you a few times leaving them in his locker before Professor Riven was given that duty."

"You weren't careful enough Cari." Lea shook her head with an amused smile.

"You should've been more aware of your surroundings." Rosie added with a giggle.

"That's why I asked Riven to make those delivers for me! And you guys shouldn't be amused by this" Cari pouted. "And why aren't _you_ freaking out about this?!" she said to Aiden before looking away ashamed "No one was supposed to know…I'm so sorry Aiden I screwed up… I _should've_ been more careful…"

"It's ok Cari." he replied patting her head "it was bound to happen sooner or later. And I'm sorry I didn't give you a heads up."

"You knew, he knew?" Cari asked shocked

"Yea, he told me last night… I tried to tell you this morning but didn't get a chance to…" Aiden said with a nervous smile

"Don't sweat it Cari we can trust him, right Cal?" Lea asked the specialist as she slightly leaned on him.

"Of course."

"Good because if you break our trust… I may be inclined to make your world completely _silent_ …" Lea leered at him as she formed a glowing musical note in her hand before making it pop in an exaggerated manner. "if you catch my drift..."

"You are too soft Lea." Rosie commented with a giggle

"Oo yea? What would our _gentle_ flower do?" Lea smirked

"Oo nothing too complicated… just feed him to my carnivorous plants." She said with a shrug

Everyone was silent except for Cal's audible gulp.

"Uhh… haha that's a funny joke, Rosie… You wouldn't _really_ do that... right?" Cari asked, unsure

"The only way to find out: is if he betrays our trust." Rosie shrugged before locking eyes with Cal "I do hope our trust isn't _misplaced_."

"I-it won't be! I swear!" he quickly replied

"Good. Now let's head back it's almost Lunch time" Rosie said with a sweet smile as she turned to lead the way. Cari and Lea following right behind her, leaving Cal and Aiden behind.

"I was mistaken…" Cal said

"Hmm… about what?" Aiden asked.

"Out of the three of them, the scariest one _isn't_ your sister… it's _Rosalie_ …" Cal replied.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Ahhh! It feels so good to feel the sun again!" Cari said as she stretched her arms above her

"You make it seem that you were in the hospital for three months instead of just three _days_." Lea teased as they walked down the city of Magix.

"It _felt_ like months!" Cari replied dramatically "I thought I would never get to feel the sun or smell fresh air again!"

"You would have been there only _two_ days if you had behaved and not done anything reckless." Rosie commented with a sharp look.

"Uhh… good point…" Cari agreed not wanting to anger the nature fairy again. "But shouldn't we focus more on how well Mallori is recovering?" She tried changing the subject.

"True. Thanks to you he is doing much better and should be released in a couple of days." Lea patted Cari on the back

"Its times like these I'm so glad we have healing magic!" Cari replied. "Grandma Vanessa told me on earth he would've been hospitalized for _months_ but magic narrowed it down to a couple of weeks! Then with Rosie's brilliant concoctions, he's getting out in just a week!" Cari said hugging the brunette who patted her on the head.

"I'm glad that all my research has paid off. It is always rewarding to see my experiments finding their true purpose in the world." Rosie said, pride sparkling in her eyes.

"What's impressive is how you managed to get magic and science to work together." Lea commented.

"That is why everyone thought of me as strange or crazed. It was unheard of a fairy taking an interest in such a thing let alone experimenting in it." Rosie smirked. "Now they desire and praise the fruits of my labor. Mallori's doctors asked me to show them the properties of my concoctions for other patients as well."

"That's amazing Rosie! And you were never strange or crazy in my eyes!" Cari exclaimed. "The three of us may be seen as... odd but we are still perfect! And I couldn't imagine a world without you two!"

"Same for us, Cari! We will always stick by each other til the bitter end." Lea added.

"I'm sure I can find a way to make it a 'sweet end' instead." Rosie giggled.

"As I said… til the _bitter_ end! Let's be honest, Rosie, your concoctions are amazing and miraculous but they are never _sweet_." Lea teased.

"Because of that, I will make sure your end will be the most bitter I can conjure." Rosie teased as the three laughed.

They soon stopped when Glyde poked his head out of Cari's bag.

"Cree! Cree!" he exclaimed as he pulled himself out.

"Huh? What's wrong Glyde?" Cari asked over her shoulder where the tiny bat was frantically waving his wings and pointing to the alley ahead of them. Soon he took off leaving the girls behind, confused.

Looking to each other they nodded before following. After a few blocks, the fairies started to hear voices.

"A pretty little thing like you shouldn't be wandering around alone. Some bad people might _kidnap_ you"

"Yea. Come with us, we'll make sure you're _taken_ care of."

"You can _trust_ us."

Cari didn't like the tone in their voices… she knew they were lying and weren't up to any good. The three fairies slowed their pace to a quick walk wanting to understand the issue before acting. But they stayed on alert, prepared to jump in… something about this had to be bad enough for Glyde to react so frantically.

"Wow. You guys are really nice! Can you really take me to Cari? Is she your friend too?" Cari stumbled as she recognized that voice.

Throwing caution to the wind she ran the last few feet and rounded the corner, ignoring the protests from her friends.

She saw three rugged men, positioned in a semicircle, their backs to her as they focused on the person they surrounded against the wall. Cari couldn't see the innocent person very clearly, but she clearly heard the voice. That alone told her who it was… and she was going to save them by any means necessary.

"Of course we know Cari! She's a very close friend!" One of the men said in an overly sweet tone.

"Are you sure~? Because I know I've _never_ met you before!" Cari said just a sweet, arms crossed. Looking extremely casual but holding back raging flames that wanted to burst free. She wanted this to be resolved peacefully…

Spinning around the men glared at the redhead. "Who are you? Get lost!" The seeming leader exclaimed.

"What do you mean? You said you knew me, didn't you? If you really did you should know what happens to those who mess with my friends…" Cari smirked when the men's eyes widened in realization.

"Hi, Cari! It's so good to see you again!" The sweet little girl happily exclaimed.

"Hey, Zuri. Whatcha doing here? Where's Zia?" Cari's eyes immediately soften towards the small girl and gave her a smile.

"I got lost, and couldn't find her... but your friends said they would help me and even show me their clubhouse." Zuri said with a bright smile.

"O yea? What else did they say?" Cari asked a sweet smile on her lips but anger burning in her eyes.

"Umm… something about getting deep pockets from a designer chick. I think a fancy chicken stretched their pockets." Zuri giggled. "I told them Zia could ask the tailor to fix them as thanks for helping me, but they said I was helping in a different way… don't know how though…"

The three attempted kidnappers started to sweat and panic when they felt the temperature rising around them.

In his panic the second man spun around and reached for Zuri, who was still smiling, oblivious to the danger she was in. Before Cari could act, his face slammed into a barrier. Cari smiled and relaxed when she saw Lea and Rosie stepping to stand beside Zuri.

"Hello. Are you Cari's friends too?" Zuri asked the two fairies.

"We are her _best_ friends!" Lea winked at the girl, who giggled in return.

"This is such an exciting day! I'm meeting so many new and nice people!" the child cheered.

"I am so glad to hear that. How about we continue with your exciting day elsewhere? Do you like tea and flowers? I know of a beautiful cafe you would absolutely love." Rosie sweetly smile said offering her hand.

"And their snacks are out of this world," Lea added offering her hand as well.

Zuri nodded excitedly as she grabbed both their hands and allowed them to lead her away. But she looked back and slightly frowned when she saw Cari wasn't following. "Cari aren't you coming?"

"I'll be there in a sec! Me and my _friends_ have some catching up to do…" She replied with a dangerously sweet smile.

"O ok! Don't be long!" Zuri called out happily before turning the corner.

"I don't plan on it…" Cari waited a moment more before focusing all her attention on the thugs. "So you thought you would take advantage of a defenseless child, did you? And one of my friends at that. Tsk tsk tsk… _huge_ mistake."

"We didn't know it was _you_ she was referring to!" the smaller guy exclaimed

"Yea! We just wanted her family to pay a huge ransom for her! We weren't going to hurt her! We swear!" the second guy whimpered.

"Oo? You just wanted _money_? So that makes it ok to kidnap children?" Cari said in a cold tone, glaring daggers at the thugs.

"We just wanted designer brands and tech!"

"Will you two stop _whimpering_? She's just a tiny princess! Fairy or witch the odds are against her, three to one!" the leader said with a slight quiver in his voice.

"O so you do know who I am? And yet you _still_ think you can defeat _me_. How amusing. Normally only the clueless or the stupid dare to challenge me. I guess I know which you fall under..." Cari smirked.

"You brat! I'm not scared of you!" the leader charged with a large bat at the fairy who simply sidestepped and kicked him from behind as he passed her.

She stared down at him as he face planted on the wall. Turning, he glared at her holding his bleeding nose. "I am no longer amused..." She said staring at him looking bored.

"You will pay for that!" He growled.

"Psh. I believe that's _my_ line, you pathetic flea." She remarked.

"We'll show you who's pathetic!"

Without even glancing back Cari back flipped high into the air and kicked the other two thugs both on their backs at the same time, sending them flying unceremoniously into their leader.

"Yes, you really did show me how truly pathetic you three are…" She said with a bored sigh.

"You shouldn't act all high and mighty! You are just as bad as _us_!" The leader snapped back

"Y-yea! A cursed witch like you is just as pathetic!"

"You're just an unwanted cursed princess!" the second finished.

Cari fisted her hand tightly, before taking a deep breath. "You know… I was just going to let you three go with just a warning... allow you to leave with _some_ dignity since Zuri was unharmed… but you've annoyed me a bit too much … you deserve a suitable punishment."

Cari summoned up her flame and threw fireballs at each one.

They screamed in fear, but when nothing happened they opened their eyes and began screaming in rage. She melted their expensive shoes into nothing but a sticky gooey puddle, their socks slightly singed.

"How _dare_ you! Do you have any idea how many muggings we had to do to get enough to get these one of kind sneakers!" The leader raged.

"More reason to destroy them. Now get out of my sight!" She shrugged turning to walk away.

"Just you wait! You won't _always_ be around! We'll catch that kid again and this time we'll _torture_ her and it will all be _your_ fault!" the leader threatened.

Cari froze as she felt something snap in her.

With lightning speed, she kicked the leader to the opposite wall. He didn't even have a chance to brace himself before she appeared before him and landed a solid punch in his gut.

Ignoring his groans of pain and his gasps for air, she grabbed his shirt and held him hard against the wall, a few inches off the ground.

"If you ever come within fifty feet of her or even _glance_ her way, I promise I will send you to the most _remote_ reaches of the galaxy… where you will live out the rest of your days... _forgotten and alone_." She narrowed her eyes, completely serious in her threat.

"Your parents... the Winx would never allow that." he gasped between breaths.

"Who says they will ever know." She smirked. "It will be life saving for you to take my warning seriously…" her body started to heat up as her flames threaten to break free of her control.

"She's just a rich brat... Why go so far? What is she to you?" He gasped, starting to get worried he would end up like his shoes.

"She's under my _protection,_ you should know what that means. You should've heard about that, right? I know it has been mentioned before in those articles… especially after _that_ incident… sure they tend to write a bunch of lies about me, but one thing they got right is:..." Cari's flaming armor started to glow around her, making her hair look like a raging fire behind her, as small flames spread, surrounded and slightly touched the three thugs. " _Anything_ or _anyone_ that hurts or threatens whatever _I_ consider to be _mine_ will be _severely_ punished. Got it?"

The leader shakily nodded his head. Fear and lack of air kept his mouth shut.

"Good." She let him go and he slumped to the ground. Without looking back she turned her back and walked away.

Once she turned the corner she took a deep calming breath as her flame faded away.

' _You ok Cari?'_ Akira asked concerned.

' _Fine. Just kinda surprised how angry I got. I'm used to being called a curse and all but when they threatened Zuri… I dunno… I just snapped. I almost lost control for a second there…'_ She replied, taking another calming breath.

' _I'm not very surprised…'_

' _What do you mean?'_

' _That was most likely Masina's influence.'_ Akira started.

' _Masina's? How?'_

' _She_ is _essentially a wolf. They are very protective of those who are in their 'pack'. Sure dragons are just as protective but in a more subtle way... we like to silently punish those who would do harm to our clan from the shadows. Allowing a form of independence and trust in our clanmates while still staking our claim. Wolves tend to be more... aggressive and forthright in protecting their pack members,_ especially _towards the young and their mate.'_ Akira explained. _'It's a side effect of having merged with powerful beings.'_

' _Well, that's just great. People were wary of my 'bark' before, now they gotta worry about my 'bite' too…'_ Cari rolled her eyes _'but why is it affecting me_ now _? Why not earlier? And why don't I have any side effects for you?'_

' _You were aware of me very early on. Not to mention we were both young. So as I grew physically and mentally so did you. We adapted to them gradually and together. But Masina was sealed so you were not able to adapt to them with her… so now you get them all at once…like a volcano the lava is always raging under the surface, but it only takes one eruption to completely burst free.'_

'… _What side effects do I have to deal with?' Cari asked_

' _For just Masina?'_

' _Both.'_

' _Well, from what I have seen for me… it is the ability you to assess situations with a calm head regardless of the situation. You are able to keep the task or your clan in the forefront of your mind even when extremely stressed or in pain...exactly like a dragon would...though it seems when under stressful situations does that one appear most often. Your protectiveness is also a dragon side effect, and your aptitude for strange magic such as the familiar pack.'_ Akira stated _. 'While Masina's seems to be the overprotectiveness and temper for now. Others may arise later… I'm not entirely certain…your senses could increase dramatically or gain other wolf-like tendencies…'_

' _Sigh… great might be turning into a dog…but Masina isn't with me right now. How am I still getting her part of the side effects?'_

' _She is still a part of you regardless… and until she forms a contract with a new master you are still linked to her…as small as it may be…'_

' _ok… well, at least our bond isn't completely severed yet… anything else I should be aware of?'_

' _Not at the moment... But at least you know of it now, and can learn to suppress it over time...I can try to help.'_ Akira finished hoping to make things seems less dreadful.

Cari noticed Akira's worry. _'...Masina would've been a better teacher in this wouldn't she?'_

' _...yes...she is a wolf after all. She will know exactly how you feel... and how to suppress it more efficiently…'_ Akira commented sadly.

' _It's ok Akira. We'll get her back one day… until then our pack is waiting…'_ Cari smiled as she ran to where her friends messaged location.

…

"Cari!" Zuri exclaimed waving.

"Zuri!" the fairy waved back as she approached the cafe her friends and the child were seated at. Cari rushed there after Rosie messaged their location. It didn't take her long to arrive.

"Hey girls!" She greeted her friends.

"Hey, girl! Did you _take care_ of everything?" Lea winked.

"Sure did!" Cari said with a smirk as she took a seat at the table.

"You caught up with your friends?" Zuri innocently asked

"Yea...Uhh… about that Zuri." Cari started "You need to be more careful who you trust. There are people out there who will tell you lies in order to get something from you. Not all strangers are good people. Do you understand?" Cari asked.

"Like those guys from earlier," Lea added.

"They were liars?" Zuri asked curiously.

"Yes…" Cari replied with a sad smile.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm _pretty_ sure."

"But they didn't lie to me." Zuri said. When the three fairies looked at each other with confusion the child continued. "They said they knew you and would help me find you...and they did. So they did keep their promise!"

"Uhh… I guess you're not ...wrong… but make sure you don't just go and trust any stranger, ok?" Cari said hoping the child would understand what they were trying to tell her.

"But you were a stranger when we meet… should I not trust you?" Zuri asked slightly confused.

"Uhh… no, you can trust me. It's just…" Cari glanced at her friends desperate for their help.

"What Cari is trying to say Zuri…" Rosie started. "Is that there are many dangers out there, especially for such a pretty and sweet girl like you. So it is important to keep yourself safe when you find yourself lost or even just meeting new people in general. One way of doing that is to be careful of people you are not familiar with."

"So I shouldn't trust anyone?" Zuri asked slightly sad.

Rosie shook her head. "No, I'm not saying that at all. I am saying that you need to be able to distinguish between a good stranger and a bad one. For example, you see that police officer over there?" she pointed to a uniformed officer across the street. "He is a good stranger, he will help you if you ask him. It is his _job_ to help and keep everyone safe. Another good stranger is a firefighter or a teacher. Someone who works with kids or whose job is to keep others safe is usually a good stranger." Rosie waited until the child nodded her understanding before she continued. "Now bad strangers are a bit harder to tell apart since not all look evil. But a good rule to go by is: if they ask you to follow them somewhere suspicious, especially if it is away from public eyes or if they ask you to break the rules or do something bad then _stay away_. Find someone else, like your brother, caretaker, policeman or Cari, and tell them immediately." Rosie gave an understanding smile when they girl looked slightly confused. "I know it's a lot to take in but eventually your instincts will be able to tell you who is good and who is bad. You will learn to trust them. But do you understand?"

"I understand!" Zuri nodded her head with a serious expression "I must be careful with people I don't know and don't follow strangers or break rules. Find a policeman or Cari instead!"

"There you go!" Cari smiled in relief that Rosie was able to explain that "Now I know you won't get into trouble when I'm not around. But if you ever find yourself in trouble you can always call me." She wrote down her phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to the girl. "I'll rush on over."

"I can really call you whenever I'm lost?" Zuri asked shocked.

Cari nodded. "Whenever you're lost, lonely or just want to talk… no matter what time of day, I'll answer. I'll be there in a flash whenever you need me too. Just say the word and I'll be there." Cari smiled as she pat Zuri affectionately on the head.

Zuri's smile grew. "Thank you so much! I'm so happy!"

Cari couldn't help but reflect her happiness "You're very welcome, Zuzu."

"Zuzu?" Zuri slightly cocked her head to the side.

"Uhh… yea… sorry I tend to give out nicknames to my friends. That kinda slipped out, if you don't like it…" Cari nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

Zuri shook her head. "I love it! Zuzu! It's super cute!"

Cari smiled "Glad you like it."

"Hey, can I go look at the pretty flowers?" Zuri asked pointing to the small garden the cafe had a few feet away from their table. Cari nodded her head before the child bounced away, giggling.

"So she's part of your close circle now?" Rosie asked

"Uhh… yea I guess… I can't help but want to protect her." Cari replied, affectionately watching the young girl smell the flowers.

"Speaking of protecting… what happened to those jerks?" Lea asked with a grimace.

"We won't have to worry about them anymore." Cari smirked. "I made sure they fully understood that Zuzu is under my protection and is not to be gazed upon, let alone touched."

"That's a pretty strong message… you sure they took you seriously? They might just think you are a soft fairy that can't do much." Lea asked.

"Oo I'm pretty sure they figured out that I am far from soft and can do a lot of damage... if I wanted…" winked at her friends.

"What did you do Cari?" Rosie asked, voice laced with humor.

"Nothing much." Cari shrugged "just melted their expensive shoes and tech. And don't worry they just _felt_ my flames, I didn't _burn_ them."

"Nice. Hopefully, they'll spread the word." Lea added with a grin. Rosie nodded her approval as well.

"I'm sure they wi-" Cari paused when they heard Zuri coughing. Looking towards the young girl they saw her kneeling, tightly clutching her chest as her body shook with a coughing fit.

"Zuri!?" the three fairies raced to the girl's side.

"Are you ok?" Cari asked rubbing her back. After a few more coughs she looked up with a small smile.

"I'm fine. My chest just feels a bit tight… it happens…" Zuri replied still clutching her chest.

"Here sweetie, let me see." Rosie stepped forward, placed a hand on her chest and back and allowed her healing magic to flow through her.

"Ahh … it feels so warm…" Zuri closed her eyes with a relaxed smile.

"Feel better?" Rosie asked after a moment.

"Yes, much better! Thank you!"

Cari sighed in relief. "Good. Come looks like the waitress brought our tea and snacks. Let's go enjoy them." Zuri nodded and accepted Cari's outstretched hand.

"You ok Rosie?" Lea asked the brunette who was staring at Zuri with a focused expression.

"Hmm?" she looked to Lea "Oo… yea I'm fine… but something felt... off when I was healing Zuri."

"Off? Off how?" Lea looked to see Cari and Zuri sitting back down at the table.

"I'm... not really sure…" before she could ponder this anymore Cari called out to them. They agreed to talk later before walking over to the table.

"You sure you're feeling better Zuzu?" Cari asked, gently brushing a stray hair from the child's smiling face.

"I'm sure. My throat is a bit sore though, but I have my special tea that always helps with that!" Zuri said as she pulled out a small pouch. Opening it Cari saw it was filled with ground herbs.

"Good thing we ordered a kettle of hot water." Cari said as she poured the girl a cup of boiling water, placing it before her. Cari looked up and smiled at her friends who finally joined them at the table.

"So which tea are you trying first Zuzu?" Lea asked.

"She's going to take some of her medicinal tea she brought from home first." Cari replied for Zuri, who was shaking some of the dry herbs into the hot water.

"Wait that-" Rosie started, but was interrupted. "MISTRESS ZURI!"

They all looked across the street to see a woman running recklessly across towards them.

"Mistress Zuri! Thank goodness I finally found you! Please don't run off like that again!" Zia exclaimed as she knelt down beside the young girl, looking her over.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Zia. I saw something pretty in a window and the next thing I knew it you were gone. But I managed to find Cari!" Zuri said smiling at the redhead, who smiled back.

The caretaker turned to the fairy, and Cari could've sworn that she was glared at for a second before she masked her expression into a polite smile. "Looks like I owe you gratitude once again…" she said standing up and giving a stiff slight bow.

"Zuri is a friend; it is only natural to help friends." Cari replied politely.

"Yes, well we must be going. Come along Mistress, you must be exhausted from your little... adventure." Zia said gently pulling the small girl to her feet.

"But I feel fine. Rosie healed me; I don't feel tired at all. I feel great!" Zuri bounced with excitement.

"Please don't bounce Mistress. You will only exhaust yourself." Zia placed both hands on the child's shoulders to keep her still. A second later Zuri's eyes slightly dropped as she let out a huge yawn.

"I got sleepy all of a sudden." Zuri said rubbing her eyes.

"See I told you. Come let us return." Without another word, the caretaker cradled the child in her arms and began to walk away, not even saying farewell to the fairies.

"Bye bye Cari. Let's play again next time…" Zuri said with a yawn, voice heavy with sleep.

Cari could only wave as the caretaker quickly walked away, and rounded the corner.

"Who rammed a stick up her behind?" Lea remarked crossing her arms after a moment of stunned silence. "That's some gratitude; all she expressed was how rude she is. Not to mention she muttered 'healed again' in a disapproving tone. It's like she didn't like that Zuri was healed. Who would want that for a kid?"

"You sure you heard her say that?" Cari asked.

"Of course. You know I can pick up the smallest sounds if they're close enough or if I focus. She was close enough to hear her loud and clear, no doubt." Lea firmly said

"That's weird…" Cari said

"Yes, she is very strange indeed." Rosie commented as she summoned a glass bottle and carefully began pouring the tea Zuri left untouched.

"Whatcha doing?" Cari asked as they watched her seal the bottle and store it in her purse.

"O just curious to see what this medicinal tea holds. Might prove beneficial to my experiments." Rosie replied without looking up.

Before Cari could ask anything else her phone started to ring. Looking at the caller ID she immediately answered.

"Hey, Aiden. What's up?" She smiled at the hologram of her brother.

"Hey, have you seen the news?" He asked slightly concerned

"No, why? Did something happen? Are you ok?" She asked getting concerned.

"I'm fine... but maybe you should just turn on the news and see for yourself…" Aiden said.

"I got it." Lea said as she pulled out her phone and tuned into the news channel. All three fairies looked in shock at the headlines and video playing.

' _ **X FACILITY ENGULFED IN FLAMES! UNKNOWN EXPLOSION STARTED A CHAIN REACTION! MANY WOUNDED OR MISSING! SOME CLAIMING AN ENRAGED WOLF SPIRIT RAMPAGED!'**_

Cari reread the headline on the projected screen before taking in the live video of a large facility somewhere in a forest completely engulfed in flames. The flames were threatening to spread to the forest with each passing gust of wind. There were many rescuers running around trying their best to keep the flames under control while looking for survivors and treating the wounded.

Another explosion was seen before the newscaster started speaking.

" _ **They are still unsure of the cause of the first explosion that started the chain reaction. Some speculate that it was an experiment gone wrong or a forest spirit angered by their presence. There are some witnesses claiming that some kind of 'wolf-girl' appeared before the initial explosion. She was heard laughing as the damage to the facility grew too far beyond their control. Some workers believe it is the forest getting its revenge on the facility polluting the air and river. While others are blaming sabotage, faulty wiring, or simply careless human error. We will hopefully know more once the flames have been extinguished and an investigation can be taken…"**_

' _Cari. Look to the far left…'_ Akira told the fairy

Quickly pausing the video, Cari zoomed into the area where Akira indicated. It was needless to say that she was shocked to see a familiar silhouette of a girl floating above the burning facility.

"Masina…" Cari whispered out.

"I was hoping my hunch was wrong…" Aiden said, still on the call.

"But why would she be there?" Lea asked.

"A better question would be: Did she start the fire?" Aiden said. He explained when the three fairies did not respond. "Think about it. Witnesses say the explosion happened right after a girl appeared and who else would be powerful enough to break into a heavily guarded facility then destroy it? And now that you see her at the site… I'm sorry Cari but she is most likely the culprit for this fire…" Aiden finished, looking at his sister with concern.

Cari shook her head. "No there has to be another explanation… I know she hates us but there is no reason for her to cause this much destruction on innocent people…"

Akira took that moment to appear in her bird form. "I might have another explanation…" she started. "She made a deal with someone who is powerful enough to supply her with enough energy to sustain her without continuously feeding on others… someone who practices the dark arts. That person might've asked for a favor in return… this could be the favor…" Akira finished as she motioned to the fiery image.

"How can you be so sure?" Rosie asked.

"I sensed it from her…"

"You are able to sense that even when being so far apart?" Lea asked, amazed.

"Not... exactly…"

"Then how do you know?" Lea asked

"...I may have… bumped into her some time back…I sensed it from her then..." the bird lowered her head before looking up to face her fairy. Akira was expecting Cari to yell and scream at her… honestly she was planning on it, after all, she had kept something important from her precious guardian… but she wasn't expecting Cari to stare back at her with the look of betrayal and sadness in her blue eyes before Cari turned away from her, tears in her eyes. Akira didn't know what to say or do to gain forgiveness and she wasn't sure if she deserved it. "Cari...I-I…" she tried to find the right words.

"We're wasting time…" Cari turned back to face her friends with a serious expression, it was obvious she put her mask on, trying to hide her true feelings. "Masina's my responsibility, therefore so is this fire… I'm going to that facility. Lea, can you open a portal for me please?"

"On one condition… you take us with you…" Lea said pointing to herself and Rosie.

"No, this might get dangerous, and it's not your fight… it's mine…" Cari said glancing at Masina's image.

"Any fight of yours is a fight of ours!" Lea replied with a smile.

"I think that line only refers to friends…" Cari replied.

"Same thing. We're going, end of story."

"But…"

"Cari, you will need our support." Rosie interrupted "We will be able to heal the wounded and protect them from the flames. This fire looks fairly powerful especially for the rescuers to be having so much trouble controlling it, so you will need an equally powerful spell to control it... You won't be able to do all that on your own. Let us help you help them…just how we helped with the boys..." Rosie finished with a determined smile.

"I'm going too!" Aiden exclaimed.

"NO!" All three fairies exclaimed at the same time.

"What! Why not?" He protested.

"You just recovered from your wounds! You are definitely NOT going!" Cari firmly stated.

"I'm _fine_! I want to go!" Aiden replied

"No, I will not allow it either." Rosie said with a stern voice. Aiden tried to stare her down, but it didn't take long for him to give in.

"Fine. But then Cari you better take Lea and Rosie with you. They're right, you can't do this alone."

"I can pull it off…" Cari started

"If you don't take them then I'm taking a cruiser and heading over there right now." Aiden said standing up.

Groaning, Cari rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. "FINE! Let's go girls, we're wasting time." She finally said, giving one final glare at her brother.

"Sweet!" Lea exclaimed jumping up and started opening up the portal.

Cari and Rosie stood soon after. Cari looked to her brother projected on her phone. "Wish me luck." She asked him, who smiled back

"You don't need it. You and your team are capable of the impossible remember?" He replied. "But be careful anyway, ok?"

"I'll try…talk to you later?"

"I'll be waiting… all night if I have to." He winked. Cari nodded before ending the call.

Facing the portal she felt a small weight settle on her shoulder. Looking towards it she saw Akira with her head down. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Masina before, Cari…"

"We'll talk about it later…" Akira nodded her head and remained quiet.

Taking a deep breath she calmed her nerves.

Looking to her friends with calm determination she stepped closer to them. "Ready, girls?"

"Ready!" They replied, with equal determination.

Transforming into their fairy forms they jumped through the portal.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Wow. It looks a lot bigger than it did in the news feed…" Lea commented as the three fairies looked down at the large burning facility in the distance. It looked more like a college campus.

"Umm… why did you transport us so far away?" Cari asked, seeing they were hovering a good distance away from their intended destination.

"Yea about that… I intended to open the portal right in front. No idea why we landed way out here…weird..." Lea replied looking around

"There might be a special barrier around this place that prevents portals from being used within its limits." Rosie mused.

"Really?" Cari asked looking down at the facility, squinting her eyes in hopes of maybe catching a glimpse of the barrier. "I don't see anything…"

"It could a barrier similar to the one Alfea has to keep non-magical beings from entering… it only goes against those who go against its purpose." Rosie commented

"If Lea cant summon a barrier within its limits will we be able to use our magic at all?" Cari asked, concerned.

"I doubt there is cause for worry usually these barriers only negate spells that target the premise. Once inside we should be fine." Rosie replied with a smile.

"But why would a normal facility need a barrier like that?" Lea wondered.

"This might not be a normal facility… if what Akira says is true, and Masina is doing a favor to a powerful wielder, then this place could be related to them in some way. And considering the attack's magnitude, this facility might be more than what it seems…" Rosie stated. "But enough speculations… we need a plan of action. We came to help, not discuss; did we not?"

"Your right…" Cari nodded as she began to lead her friends to the burning facility. "You two will heal and protect the wounded, while I'll get to the center and absorb the flames. Should be easy enough."

"No!" the three girls froze when Akira appeared and blocked their path.

"Akira, whats wrong? We don't have time to waste we need to save those people…" Cari told the small bird.

"That is my intention as well." She started. "The report said that there were still many people missing… implying that they could still be trapped _inside_ the inflamed building. If we absorb the flames all at once then they could be serious, if not fatally, harmed."

"What do you mean?"

"At your current skill, absorbing flames is similar to sucking in a twister. You are drawing the flames to where you are stationed. Like a twister the eye will be calm and gentle, but outside will be violent and dangerous. When you use this spell normally it is only for small fires, ones that only require a narrow and straight path to you. But the bigger the fire the wider the paths and the harder it is to control. The flames converge to the center, growing stronger and more concentrated as it reaches you. If there was no risk to human life than it wouldn't matter if you cast this spell in one go, the facility could take the damage. But there is a possibility that innocents are still trapped inside…" Akira explained as quickly as possible.

Cari's eyes grew wide with shock… she had no idea this was how her spell worked… deciding to work on that later she mentally shook her shock away. "Ok, so that's _not_ an option anymore… what can I do now?" she asked the bird.

"We will have to absorb little by little. It will take longer, but it will guarantee that no life will be harmed as we also search for survivors."

Cari nodded. "Lea, can you use your soundwaves to tell where the survivors are and narrow down our search?"

Lea nodded "I need to get closer though…" Without another word, they sped towards the facility.

Once there Lea summoned her electric guitar and struck a cord, hard. She closed her eyes as its sound echoed off the walls and trees back to her.

After a tense moment, Lea opened her eyes.

"There's something disrupting my spell. I can't see anything clearly, but there are some points that felt… strange…" Lea pulled out her phone and showed them a map of the facility she got online. She pointed to four points. One was close to the main entrance, two on the other side towards the back, and the last one was directly in the center. "I can't tell why they feel strange, it could be someone has a barrier up. But I was able to clearly see that the one closest to us and the one in the center were pretty unstable, looks like it could collapse any moment."

"Those areas might've been where the explosions hit the hardest." Rosie commented.

"Ok, so I'll head there first and work my way to the back." Cari voiced.

"Will you be able to get to them all on your own while still looking for survivors, and _before_ the building collapses?" Rosie asked concerned.

"No choice. I don't see anyone else around here who can cast the spell without getting burned, and the rescuers seem to be having trouble with the tasks they have now. And if those areas _do_ have survivors and the building collapses before anyone gets to them…" her pause was enough to get her point across. "I-I have to save them…" Cari said preparing to fly into the blaze.

"You won't do it alone!" Akira said. The three girls turned to face the small bird. "I will help you."

"But you can't cast spells very well in that form Akira." Cari said.

"I can in my humanoid form."

"But you know that drains me, not to mention it ruins my concentration…"

"That was before. As an Enchantix fairy, I should be able to use my second form more freely than before, with less strain on you."

"I don't know. What if that's not the case?" Cari said unsure.

"Just trust me. If I sense that it is too much I will revert back… we should at least _try…_ " Akira said, hoping Cari would allow it. But seeing the fairy's hesitation hurt the dragon more than anyone could tell… _'is she really that mad at me?'_

Cari knew she should fully trust Akira but she was still hurt that she kept the meeting with Masina from her. _'Ugh… That's not important right now! Saving those people are!'_ Taking a deep breath Cari nodded. "Ok let's do it Akira."

The bird sighed in relief before returning the nod and closing her eyes as a bright light engulfed her. The girls were able to see the shape of a small bird morph into her humanoid form, determination bright in her purple eyes. "Shall I cover the far end?"

"Sounds good. You ready girls?" Cari asked her friends who nodded, just as determined. "Stay safe and call me if anything!" the redhead exclaimed as she flew down and through the main entrance ignoring the shouts from the rescuers.

Once inside she was shocked by the strength of the heat, so just to be safe she activated her flaming armor. Anyone else could be in fatal danger if they stay in these flames. Luckily for Cari, her flames were hotter.

Cari quickly cast the absorption spell once she made sure no one was in the lobby. Once done she made her way to the area where Lea mentioned was odd and unstable, stopping a couple times to check for survivors and absorb more of the fire.

Double checking the map, she nodded when she found the first odd spot Lea marked. The large swinging doors she stood in front of felt incredibly hot to the touch. Carefully she pushed them open to reveal a large lab, chairs and tables broken and thrown across the room, shattered glass everywhere, and completely engulfed in flames.

"Looks like an explosion happened in here…" Stepping farther into the room she was amazed by how hot the flames were, most likely due to the flammable chemicals scattered about. "There's no way anyone could still be in here…at least not still alive..." Cari mused to herself. "Sigh… better safe than sorry… Hello?!" She yelled out. "Is anyone in here?! I've come to help!" When she didn't hear anything, she prepared to cast the absorption spell but paused when she heard a response.

"We're over here!"

"You can't be serious… _how_?" Cari spun around towards the voice. Flying around a wall of desks and chairs and was utterly surprised to see six people huddled together in a purple barrier. "I-Is everyone ok?" she asked reaching a hand out towards the barrier.

"No! Don't!" She paused.

"What? Why?"

"We were told that if we touch the barrier or try to escape then it will explode…" The oldest man in a white doctor's coat told the fairy, flinching back away from the barrier that kept him safe but imprisoned.

"Who told you that?"

"The girl who erected it." he replied, fear in his eyes.

"Alright... I'll figure something out…" Cari reassured with a smile before she closed her eyes and stretched out her senses, searching for her partner. _'Akira? Can you hear me?'_

' _I hear you Cari.'_

' _I'm at my first checkpoint… those odd areas Lea felt are survivors in a barrier…'_

' _That's great news… I am just arriving at my first checkpoint…'_

' _Yea it would be great... except there's a problem…'_

' _What is it?-'_ There was a pause before Akira spoke again. _'Oo I see what you mean…'_ Cari assumed she saw the barrier and the survivors gave her the same warning.

' _Touching it explodes?'_ Cari asked just to be sure they were on the same page.

' _Yes…'_ Both paused when the ground shook under their feet.

' _We don't have time to figure out how to lower the barrier now, but we need to do something before the whole building comes down...'_ Cari commented when some rubble started to crumble from above. Looking closely she noticed that the barrier protected the survivors from the small falling debris and from the heat. _'Well, at least the barrier doesn't care if dirt or fire touches it…at least they are protected from that…'_

' _Yes, I noticed that too…'_

' _Any ideas, Akira? We are running out of time and we can't leave them behind, who knows how long the building will stay standing...'_

' _I have an idea… but it will take a good amount of power…'_ Akira replied

' _Well, then it's a good thing I'm a powerhouse… what's your plan?'_

Nodding Cari opened her eyes and softly smiled at the group in the barrier. "I'm sorry but you will have to wait a bit longer…"

"P-please don't leave us… the b-building is falling apart…I-I have a f-family..." A woman begged between sobs.

"I'm sorry but I need to search for other survivors. But don't worry I won't leave you unprotected, and I _will_ come back for you." She gave them a sincere smile. "I promise, you _will_ make it home to your families, and I always keep my promises."

The survivors nodded before Cari took a step back and cast the spell Akira shared with her. A larger light red barrier appeared around the purple barrier.

"What will another barrier do?" a younger man scoffed.

"This isn't just any barrier." Cari said with a smirk as she picked up a large stone, bouncing it in her hand. "It's hotter than the flames in here and it can withstand pretty much anything I want it to…" emphasizing her point she threw the stone at her barrier. As soon as it touched the barrier it immediately melted away. "and right now I want it to withstand everything and anything, even a falling building…"

The survivors smiled and awed at the fairy. Their eyes shined with gratitude.

"Now that I'm confident you're safe, let's get rid of this fire before I head to the next checkpoint."

"It's a chemical fire, the flames are much too strong, how will you put them out? No ordinary fairy can absorb this kind of flame, I think only the Queen of Eraklyon has the skill for such a thing..." the older man ranted in a panic.

"It's a good thing I'm no ordinary fairy." Cari smirked as she hovered above the survivors and cast the spell to absorb the fire in the lab, it took slightly longer than the other areas she absorbed but the fire was out soon enough.

When only puffs of smoke remained, Cari looked down at the survivors. "I will return as soon as I can. And please do not panic if the building starts collapsing… my barrier will keep you safe, please trust that..." She told them before she started to head towards the exit.

"Wait!" She looked back at the sobbing woman. "W-Who are you?"

"I am the _Princess_ of Eraklyon." Cari immediately turned away, slightly hurt when she heard gasps of disgust and shock.

Ignoring their reaction she rushed to the next area to absorb the fire as she made her way to the center of the facility. She sent a message to Lea and Rosie to let them know that they found survivors and their situation on her way.

Soon she neared the center. But paused when she entered the large experimental looking room…

"now what should I do with you?" Masina growled at a group of four scientists huddled together in a barrier similar to the one she just left.

"Please! Please don't hurt us!"

"oo _I'm_ not hurting you… _you're_ doing that all on your own~…but since you want to blame others, maybe I should _pop_ your conceited bubble…" she smirked, reaching out a clawed hand towards the barrier.

"NO! Please!" they screamed almost touching the barrier themselves.

"Masina! Stop!" Cari exclaimed, making her presence known.

The wolf's smile dropped into a frown as she turned to lock eyes with the fairy. "well, lookie who we have here… if it isn't Akira's annoying _guardian_. Come to lock me up again?" She sneered as she floated closer to Cari, anger burning in her eyes.

"No. I came to put out the fire and hopefully talk to you." Cari replied, not looking away from the wolf's deathly glare.

"oo you came to be the _hero_? How Sweet~! But no one will think that once they find out who _I_ really am! Actually, I'm pretty sure that will just make things harder for you in general. And just when people were finally seeing past your whole cursed thing…" Masina smirked

"I don't care about that… as long as you stop what you're doing and listen to what I have to say." Cari replied without hesitation.

Masina narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "you would give up everything you worked hard for just to _talk_?" Cari nodded. Masina barked out a laugh. "you honestly think I would _believe_ that?! You're almost a good enough liar as that lizard!" her laughter stopped… her smile quickly turning into a snarl. "I _won't_ be imprisoned again! So don't think for a _second_ I'll drop my guard to let that happen."

Masina raised her clawed hand and threw a blast at the fairy.

Quickly dodging, Cari narrowly missed the attack. But the blast seemed to have hit a tank behind her instead and gave off a small explosion. Cari watched in horror as the fire's heat increased immensely and heard the frightened cries of the survivors.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" the wolf teased "you should be more aware of your surroundings, guardian. Everything in this room is just about ready to… you know, _blow…_ " Masina said motioning to the multiple tanks and vials of chemicals in glass cases around the room. "dodge enough of my blasts and this _whole_ building goes sky high! Taking all those pathetic creatures with it!" she laughed pointing to the survivors behind her. "It doesn't matter to me in the slightest what happens to them, but I have a feeling that _you_ do… So I would think _carefully_ about dodging if I were you… oo and blocking. You know how much attacks bounce off those shields of yours." Masina chuckled as she charged up another blast in her hand.

"Why are you doing this Masina?!" Cari exclaimed while looking for anything that could help.

"I have my reasons." Masina shrugged. "Does it disgust you enough to finally _leave me alone_?" she slightly frowned when Cari just stared at her, dumbfounded "Humph. Let's continue our little game shall we?" she asked bouncing a blast in her hand like a ball.

Cari glanced back and saw she was standing right in front of a case of unknown chemicals.

Full attention back to the wolf, the fairy saw her glance towards the chemicals as well. Something flashed in her eyes but it passed too quickly for Cari to pinpoint the emotion before a smile covered it. Curious to know, Cari tried to pinpoint what she saw in the wolf's eyes... seemed like indifference and possibly… some concern? Or doubt?

Masina pulled her arm back, preparing to throw the blast in her hand.

"I will never stop chasing you, Masina!" Cari subconsciously yelled out as she stretched out her arms to fully cover the case before closing her eyes, gritting her teeth to brace for the blast. She couldn't tell if the chemicals would make matters worse or not, but she didn't want to risk it. She just hoped Akira could make in time to save everyone in her stead.

A moment passed... nothing happened... Cari slowly cracked open her eyes… then slowly lowered her arms at the sight of the wolf...

Masina was frozen in place, her eyes hidden behind her bangs, her smile was replaced by a grimace, her arm still poised to throw her attack.

"Are you _stupid_?" Masina growled, barely heard over the flames.

"Huh?"

"Why don't you just _leave me alone_?!"

"Because I don't _want_ you to be alone…" Cari replied. "No one should _ever_ be alone."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I _like_ being on my own?!"

"If that was the case, then you wouldn't be using _only one_ magical source. You would be using multiple random strangers, not risking getting attached to _anyone_."

"I don't keep anyone close!"

"Then why are you _here_ , Masina? Why are you attacking this building? These innocent people?" Cari asked motioning to the scientists in the barrier. "This facility has done nothing to you. So why?" Masina just growled. Cari decided to continue. "The only reason I can think of is, that your magical source asked for a favor. If you weren't keeping them close then they wouldn't have been _able_ to ask for a favor…"

"You think you're soooo clever. Reasoning like that stupid lizard…" Masina spat.

"Well, we do talk a lot. I learn a lot from her… I wonder what I would learn from _you_ if we got to talk…" Cari wondered out loud, holding out her hand to the shocked wolf, hoping she would take the invitation.

A flash of emotions raced through Masina's eyes. Her stance slowly relaxing, arm lowering. She glanced between Cari's outstretched hand and her genuine blue eyes.

A seemingly long moment passed before either moved… before Masina took a step forward, her other hand slowly rising.

But suddenly she jumped before freezing completely.

"Where?" Masina growled. She nodded once before locking eyes with Cari once more. "Until next time guardian!" She smirked before throwing the blast still in her hand.

"What? Masina Wait!" Cari exclaimed before crossing her arms in front of her face to block the attack. She was shocked at the strength of the attack. It was extremely weak, barely even stung. Lowering her arms she looked around but was disappointed to see that Masina disappeared.

' _She got away again … I thought I was close in winning her over…'_ Cari's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"Cari!" the fairy turned her attention to Akira who burst into the lab. "Are you alright?" she asked noticing the fire is still burning in the room.

"Akira… umm… yea I'm fine… umm…" Cari glanced over to the trapped scientists. "Did you find a way to get them out safely?"

"I have a theory… but we should absorb the fire first. From what i can see those barriers are also protecting them from the smoke and heat…" the dragon said, still concerned at the slightly dazed-looking fairy.

Cari nodded before she cast her spell.

Once all the fire was gone, they stood in front of the barrier. "So what's your theory?" Cari asked.

"I sense Masina's magic made these…"

"Yes, that's true." Cari confirmed. Akira looked at her with confusion.

"How are you so sure?"

Cari shrugged "I'll tell you later… we need to get these people to safety first."

Akira nodded, sparing a quick glance at the scientists knowing she had to be careful with how much they hear. "Since you are… umm… of similar magic, the barrier should not reject you. All you need to do is touch it and will it away."

"Are you sure?!" the female scientist exclaimed. "That spirit said: One touch and it will explode!"

"It could be set to explode after a certain time anyway and that is _if_ it goes off before the building collapses. We should attempt _something_." Akira calmly said. "Besides if anyone could do something about this barrier it is Cari…"

The scientists looked skeptical but nodded. Cari took a deep breath before she reached a hand out towards the barrier.

She couldn't deny that she was extremely nervous. If she failed these people, along with everyone in this building, was in trouble. She hesitated, right before she touched the barrier.

Before she could steel her nerves the whole building suddenly began to violently shake before they heard an extremely loud noise as the shakes continued.

"What was that?" Cari wondered.

She reached for her phone when she heard the chime for a received message. She immediately opened it when she saw it was from Lea.

 _Lea: Girl you ok?!_

 _Cari: Fine. Why?_

 _Lea: Didn't you feel that?_

 _Cari: the shake? What about it?_

 _Lea: Girl! A good portion of the building just collapsed!_

Cari stared in shock at her phone. "What's wrong Cari?" Akira asked in a low voice, only loud enough for the fairy to hear.

"Lea said part of the building collapsed…" Cari responded in an equally low voice as she typed a reply.

 _Cari: What part of the building went down?_

 _Lea: The entrance to about halfway in_ … _they're saying the rest doesn't look too good either… get out ASAP!_

"Akira we need to get everyone out… now!" Cari harshly whispered. The Dragon nodded as they turned their full attention back to the scientists.

This time Cari locked away her fears and only concentrated on the task at hand: releasing Masina's barrier and getting these people to safety.

Willing the barrier to fall, Cari touched it. The scientists held their breath as the barrier fell, freeing them. Everyone stood extremely still once the barrier was gone, too scared to move in fear that it would go off anyway.

After a moment, when nothing happened the female scientist jumped up and exclaimed: "Thank you! Thank you!" She pulled the fairy into a tight hug. Cari returned the hug for a brief second before pulling away.

"Now let's get you out of here." Cari held out her hand to the one who hugged her, who gladly took it. "Everyone please hold hands." They all quickly obliged. Cari nodded before she enveloped them in her magic. They each slightly gasped when they started to float in the air. "Akira will guide you to safety." she said making sure Akira had a secure grip on the last scientist before she let go of the female scientist's hand.

She checked the map before she blasts a hole in the far wall, big enough for them to escape through.

Once outside they took to the skies a few feet above the crumbling building. They looked in horror at the damage to the front of the building… complete rubble, seemingly impossible to survive under that amount of stone and metal.

"Be careful Cari. I will return to assist as soon as I can." Akira said breaking the silence.

"I will check on the ones I saw to first." Cari replied the dragon nodded before leading the scientists to the rescuers.

Checking the map Cari saw that she was hovering right above the area where she left the first group of scientists earlier.

"I still have a connection to my barrier, so they should be safe, but I don't see it… there must be too much rubble on top of it to melt … well, only one thing to do… turn up the heat…" with a smirk she closed her eyes and sent a great deal of magic through the connection she had with her barrier, making it even hotter than before.

It took a few moments before the rubble started to smoke and melt away. Soon Cari was able to see the top of her barrier peeking through the piles of stone and metal.

Hovering above it and looking in she was pleased to see the survivors still safe inside. Some seemed to have fainted but otherwise unharmed. Being as careful as possible she expanded her barrier and gently levitated it out of the rubble. Moving it to a more stable area she released her barrier and proceeded to release Masina's barrier.

She knelt down to check on those who had fainted and was relieved to see that they were beginning to stir. "Sorry. That must've been scary." She told one, as she was becoming more aware.

When she focused on Cari she flinched back as a look of shock flashed across her face.

Noticing this Cari just hid her sadness behind a smile and without a single word stood to move away from the frightened woman. _'Guess they're afraid of me now that they know who I am…'_

Before she managed to take a step back the woman grabbed her hand. Cari was confused and shocked as she looked down.

"This isn't your fault…" she started. "You saved us even knowing you would be treated poorly… Thank you for saving us… but maybe you shouldn't have…" tears started flowing down the woman's face.

"Why would you say that? If it's about me cursing you that is completely untrue! I would never-" Cari rushed to explain, but the woman just shook her head.

"No. It's not you… it's us… we are horrible people and deserve to be punished… we-"

"Don't say another word, wench!" an older man said as he stomped over and harshly grabbed her arm, pulling her to him.

"Hey! Let her go!" Cari exclaimed, furious he would treat anyone in that way.

"Don't tell me what to do witch! This doesn't concern you!" he spat out.

"What you did concerns everyone! This is all _your_ fault! And ours for going along with it!" the crying woman yelled out at the man while trying her best to break free from his steely grip.

"I told you to shut your mouth!" He raised his hand, poised to strike her. But Cari didn't give him the chance. Flying forward she grabbed his wrist that was flying down to strike the woman before twisting it behind him.

"I suggest you release her...now!" she ordered putting more painful pressure on his arm.

He cursed at her as he struggled against her firm grip. "You have no right to touch me, you cursed witch!"

"And you have the right to strike someone weaker than you?" Cari replied as she kicked behind his knee, forcing him to kneel and releasing his grip on the woman to keep his face from harshly hitting the rubble beneath him.

"She is _my_ subordinate I can do with her as I will!"

"NO! I quit! You don't control me anymore!" the woman screamed at him.

"Be careful what you say, wench. I _will_ ruin you! Your career! Your entire life! You will regret crossing me!" he glared daggers at her, she flinched but soon stood strong.

"My only _regret_ is not crossing you sooner." She calmly replied before locking eyes with Cari. "He was the head in illegal experiments and activities. At first, we had no idea this was illegal in any way, we just did menial work at first, but as time went on we got more involved in the projects and started noticing what we were doing was wrong. When we tried to stop it he blackmailed us… saying we would be convicted the same if not more than him if we went to the authorities because we assisted him the whole way. That we were too deep to get out now… We were forced to comply. Then _this_ happened. The spirits are enraged ... and honestly, their wrath is more frightening than his." She said looking down, ashamed.

Cari stared in shock at this turn of events. The ground rumbling reminded her of their situation and the remaining people awaiting her. "Will you talk to the authorities now? Confess to everything and testify against him?" Cari asked

"... yes, I will." the woman said after a moment's hesitation. Fear dancing in her eyes as she glanced at the older scientist.

"Don't worry you will be protected. All of you, if you choose to do what is right…" Cari said looking at the frightened group around her. They all looked at her with doubt and didn't say anything until one man stepped forward.

"I will testify with you." he said as he placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. Soon everyone else nodded their agreement and stepped forward.

"Good. Now let's get you all to the rescuers." Cari said as she harshly grabbed the man's other hand and pulled it behind him. Summing her magic she made cuffs to keeps his hands secured. Pulling him up she smirked as he struggled against them and then soon flinched. "O I wouldn't struggle too much if I were you… the more you try to escape the tighter at hotter they become… they won't hesitate to burn you." Cari shrugged, not caring herself.

She extended her hand to the rest of the survivors, with a gentle smile. "Shall we?" They eagerly nodded accepting her hand.

Just with the group before them, she enveloped them in her magic and they took to the skies. Her right hand held onto the woman who confessed as Cari's left hand held onto the cuffed scientist's arm. Once high enough Cari saw Akira getting closer.

"Shall I take over from here?" The dragon asked when close enough. Cari nodded.

"Make sure the authorities are present as they are being taken care of by the medics. And make sure this one stays under close observation, maybe have Rosie keep the wraps on him. They will explain everything as you go." Akira nodded before Cari turned to head to the next group of survivors.

…

"I can't believe you got your Enchantix, Lea! That's so exciting! But also nerve-wracking knowing you put yourself in harm's way…" Cari exclaimed when she managed to find her friends. It took her a moment to recognize Lea with her new Enchantix transformation.

"Yea, I should be more careful next time… but I never would've guessed that someone from Dolona would be here…" She said glancing at the destroyed building.

"Looks like this place has more secrets than we thought…" Rosie said, "But the most important thing is that we're safe." She finished with a bright smile.

"I'm glad you're both safe! And thankful you guys came…" Cari hugged her friends. Grateful that no harm came to then, the survivors were being cared for by medics, and the fire was no longer an issue.

The firefighters were now investigating the cause of the explosion, working alongside the authorities as they took statements from the scientists regarding the illegal activities this facility was doing.

"We are happy you are unharmed as well." Rosie said patting Cari gently on the head. "And there doesn't seem to be any casualties. Everyone seems to be accounted for." Rosie said with a relieved smile. She glanced to Cari who became lost in her own thoughts. "Cari? Are you alright?"

Cari slightly jumped when Rosie placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"Yea, we lost you there for a second. What's on your mind?" Lea asked concerned.

"O just thinking about Masina… I was wondering why she would do such a thing to this seemingly innocent place, but maybe she _knew_ it wasn't so innocent after all… but still this wasn't the way to go about doing things. There are better ways than putting people's lives in danger…"

"True. There is always more than one solution or reason, but we will never know until we ask her ourselves. Until then all we can do is give her the benefit of the doubt and ensure things don't get too out of control right?" Rosie finished with a smile. Cari nodded

"Thanks, Rosie. You're the best."

"Hey what about me?!" Lea asked as she draped her arms over her two friends.

Cari laughed. "You're _both_ the absolute best and perfect friends! I love you guys so much!"

"Umm… Excuse me?" The girls looked back to see a tall male officer behind them.

"Yes?" Cari asked stepping out of Lea's arms.

"Hello, I am Corporal Kidd. My Lieutenant would like to officially give you his thanks in your assistance in this situation, but before he arrives reporters would like an interview. Though you are not obligated, it is completely optional, but it would be nice if you did." the Corporal said with a small smile.

"Umm… sure we don't mind talking to them." Cari said

"Very well. But I do advise to not say anything regarding the illegal activity or the statements from the survivors."

"Of course not. We will leave that solely for the authorities to comment on." Cari replied firmly.

"Thank you. I will inform them of your agreement. Take your time in approaching them."

"Hope you girls don't mind me agreeing to talk to the media. You don't have to talk to them if you don't want to." Cari told her friends once the officer was away from earshot.

"Doesn't matter to me in the slightest." Lea shrugged.

"I am fine with it as well." Rosie said

"Good, because I feel that I should apologize for the trouble Masina caused. I can't help but feel this is my fault too." Cari turned and started to walk to the reporters, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Cari I don't think you should mention Masina or Akira at all to _anyone_ outside your close circle." Rosie told her.

"Why? They have a right to know."

"Yes, but you also have to think of the safety of those you care about…"

"What do you mean?"

"If people found out that _half_ of your power is running free and ramped they will fear you more, while others will try to capture it for themselves. And if they do manage to capture her, they won't see her as an individual being, only as a source of power to be used and abused. Maybe to even find a way to harm you and those you love through her. Maybe that person she currently has a contract with doesn't even really know what she is. And they are obviously not good people." Rosie said motioning to the destroyed facility. "imagine if they find out, they could use her or to experiment on… I just think that it is better to be safe than sorry."

"She's right Cari," Lea said. "If people know about her and Akira they will try to come after you, to steal them from you to gain more power. Don't think they won't notice that you are still perfectly fine without Masina, I wouldn't put it past them to think you will survive without Akira. Rosie's right, don't mention them or your personal connection to this."

"But it's hard to lie…when I'm also at fault..."

"It's not lying, it's omitting facts, completely different." Lea shrugged.

"I know this is hard Cari but we need our sweet honest girl to stand aside and allow Princess Calida Cari's political mask to stand firm." Rosie said.

"But…"

"Cari," Rosie cut her off "remember when we were younger, we agreed that I would become your right-hand trusted advisor when you became queen? And that you would always let me advise you?" Cari nodded. "So let me advise you now. Please take this suggestion to heart and heed my words. I don't want to see you or anyone else we love to get hurt…"

After a short moment, Cari nodded her agreement. "Ok, Rosie. I'll play the perfect princess."

"Hey, before we go out there… you don't think that I can be your future _left-handed_ trusted advisor? Do you?" Lea said, blushing a little at her request.

"I don't know~…" Cari said. Lea's shoulders slightly sagged before Cari and Rosie started giggling. "Of course! I know I couldn't find anyone better to fill that position!" Lea instantly brightened and quickly embraced both girls.

"Sweet! Now my first official advice is to hurry and talk to those reporters before we miss curfew and Griselda comes after us!"

"That's some good advice, Lefty! Let's go!" Cari said with a smile.

…

"Who are you three? Students? Full Fairies?" one reporter immediately asked once the girls stood in front of them.

"We are currently students at Alfea. I am Princess Calida Cari, and these are my friends: Rosina and Talea." Cari stated politely

The reports gasped at hearing Cari's name.

"C-Calida Cari? As in _the_ princess and _heir_ to Eraklyon?" the same reporter asked, eyes wide with shock and some fear.

"The very same." Cari replied with a gentle smile.

The group of reporters mumbled in shock, some even taking a step back. The three fairies each had their political masks on and hid very well the range of emotions they felt at each reporter's reactions.

They quietly waited patiently for the next question. It took a moment for someone to speak up again.

"P-Princess!" A reporter near the back called out, most likely more confident with his distance from them. "W-what made you come to assist with the fire?"

"I was shown the report on the news and upon seeing how much trouble the rescuers were having I felt I just had to help. As you know there aren't that many who can absorb this amount of fire safely or quickly. Why sit around and do nothing when I have the power to help those in need." Cari replied sweetly.

"What are your thoughts on the cause of the initial explosion? Did you find anything during your rescue attempt?" Another asked

"I believe the authorities will be able to answer those questions better than I can. I just came to help with the fire and rescuing of the survivors. I didn't pay much mind to anything else."

"Did the survivors say anything regarding your assistance in their rescue?"

"No, they were mostly in shock of their ordeal, some were even unconscious when I found them. And if they did say anything it was mainly words of their gratitude." Cari replied

"Are you sure that was all their words conveyed?"

"What else would they convey?" Cari asked, hoping he was not implying what she thought he was.

"Well, your reputation as the _cursed_ princess might have people thinking twice about accepting your aid…" The reporter replied.

"If _you_ were about to be _burned or buried alive_ under three stories of rubble and no one was around to dig you out except a _'rumored_ cursed fairy'. Would _you_ choose death because of _petty_ rumors? Or would you graciously accept the help and realize the truth?" Lea asked the reporter with a cold stare.

"I-I...umm… b-but you…" he stammered, taken aback by the towering fairy's icy glare.

"I see…" Lea regarded him with disgust before looking away from him. "we will keep that in mind if you ever need rescuing from us…"

"Lea." Cari slightly scolded, to which Lea only shrugged in indifference. "Are there any more questions?" Cari asked hoping to change the subject or to be given an opportunity to leave.

"C-can you give us y-your thoughts on the r-rumors of multiple spirit sightings on this facility?" A younger reporter asked.

" _Spirits_?" Cari asked. ' _I thought only Masina was seen…_ '

"Yes, the one who caused the explosion and others seen helping survivors evacuate. Did you encounter them while inside? Perhaps even worked together?"

"May I ask how the rumor of the 'others' came to be? When we arrived the news only mentioned _one_ spirit." Rosie asked.

The reporter nodded before looking back on his notes "According to witness sightings, there were two other spirits assisting in the rescue. One was described as 'elegant, with long dress and hair,' who mainly helped the survivors trapped in barriers. The third spirit appeared as a fuchsia orb and led other survivors out of the building." The reported replied reading off his notes.

' _Ok, so the first two were most likely Masina and Akira… but what or who could've been the third?...'_ Cari wondered to herself.

"Well, we were too busy _saving_ people to really take the time to notice supposed 'balls of light'. Maybe the cops will find out more for you guys." Lea replied with a shrug. Cari and Rosie both nodding their agreement. "Speaking of which, here come some now." Lea said nodding her head behind the reporters to see Corporal Kidd walking towards them with an older and taller man.

"Greetings, I am Lieutenant Maze." the older man stated firmly once he was in front of the fairies. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your assistance in this tragic situation. The outcome could have resulted extremely different if not for your assistance." The Lieutenant said with a sharp salute to the three girls. "We would like to give you three an official form of our gratitude if you would allow us... at a later time of course."

"O there is no need for such formalities, Lieutenant." Cari said with a smile. "We are just simple students wanting to do the right thing."

"Speaking of which, you three are Alfea students correct?" A reporter blurted out.

"Yes, we are." Cari replied with a nod.

"Are you not afraid of the consequences you will face with the headmistress?" The reporter continued after the fairies looked on with slight confusion. "The rules do state that 'No magic is to be used outside the classroom unless under the strict supervision of an instructor. Breaking of this rule may result in expulsion.' Does it not?" the reporter finished.

The realization hit the three fairies at the same time. "I completely forgot about that…" Cari murmured to herself.

"Perhaps we should begin our return to campus…" Rosie said with a small smile.

"Uhh… yea… like _now_ …" Lea said turning to open a portal behind them.

"I can talk to the headmistress on your behalf." the Lieutenant said as the three fairies started to say their farewells.

"Thank you for the kind offer, but it was our decision to help without our school's permission so we will take full responsibility for our actions. Now if you'll excuse us." Cari said with a slight bow.

"One more thing Princess Calida Cari." she turned to face the Lieutenant once more. "We may need your statements or have further questions later on during this investigation. How may we contact you?"

"O yes of course." Cari pulled out her phone and magically transferred her contact information to his phone. "Feel free to keep me updated!" She waved as she and her friends went through the portal.

…

"How mad do you think Griselda will be if she finds out?" Lea asked as they stepped back into Alfea's courtyard, close to the main entrance, de-transforming from their fairy forms.

"I believe I am extremely upset."

The three fairies froze as they turned to see Griselda, arms crossed, tapping her foot waiting by the door.

"Hey, Mrs. Griselda! How's it going? Have an exciting evening?" Lea asked with a nervous smile.

"Not as an exciting one as you three had I see." she said waving her to indicate to their appearance. Looking down the three girls noticed their clothing was covered in ash and dirt. Looking at each other they saw their hair and faces did not look any better. Not to mention they each looked exhausted and weary.

"Uhh… I can explain…" Cari started after an awkward moment. Griselda raised a hand for silence.

"You three are to be present at Headmistress Faragonda's office first thing in the morning. Until then you are to rest and eat. Am I understood?" she asked with an icy stare. All the three students could do was nod their agreement. "Good. Now go to your rooms." She finished pointing to the entrance.

Without a moment's hesitation, the three girls quickly rushed passed the woman.

Once they were in their apartment they didn't waste time showering and getting into their soft, warm pajamas. When they came out to start making something to eat they were surprised to see their dining table was set with a two-course meal for each of them.

"Uhh… did you guys cook while showering?" Lea asked.

"we all know I can't cook something as complicated as this." Cari answered as they stared at the delicious looking meal in front of them.

"and it wasn't I." Rosie said. "but there seems to be a note." she lifted the note that was placed in the center of the table. "Eat before it chills. -Griselda" Rosie read out loud.

The three girls stared at each other in utter shock.

"Uh… did I get hit too hard back there? maybe breathed in too much smoke? Is it the end of the world?" Lea asked dramatically checking her temperature and taking in deep breaths while looking out the window, making sure the world wasn't coming to an ending.

Rosie gave her an incredulous look.

"What? You can't say that you're not thinking the same thing. Griselda isn't known for doing _anything_ nice or showing compassion… especially to this degree _and_ after we _undeniably_ broke school rules! On _live_ television!" Lea exclaimed. "Right Cari?!"

The two girls looked at the table when they just heard a muffled agreement. They were shocked to see Cari already seated and digging in.

She swallowed before she questioned her friends. "what are you two _waiting_ for? Aren't you starving? If not can I have it?"

They looked at each other before they quickly sat down with the redhead.

"Nope, I'm not gonna share with a glutton like you." Lea teased.

"Hey, I'm not a glutton!" Cari pouted

"then you wouldn't mind sharing _your_ food…" Lea winked as she reached over to grab some bread close to Cari, which she quickly grabbed out of Lea's reach.

"Ok so maybe I'm a _bit_ of a glutton…"

The three fairies laughed and enjoyed their delicious meal and company, leaving their worries for tomorrow.

* * *

 **Hey Guys,**

 **Sorry, it's been a while... I've been meaning to post this for a** longggg **while but never got a chance to properly proofread this until now. Life has been a bit hectic, but thankfully I have finally managed to post! Yay!**

 **I will try my best to post** by **New Years! *Cross Fingers***

 **Love**

 **~ P. Yukiko**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The three young fairies stood in front of their headmistress' office door, bright and early the next morning, extremely nervous to knock.

Cari turned to her friends and gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry girls I will make sure Faragonda knows I am the only one to fully blame."

"Girl, what are you talking about?" Lea asked

"What do you mean? You two shouldn't get into trouble for my mistakes… you don't deserve to be expelled…" Cari replied

"Last time remember, I _choose_ to get into trouble, just happens you were there too. Right, Rosie?" Lea winked at the brunette who giggled.

"You are very right Lea. No one _forced_ us to act, we _choose_ it... _together_. Now we _choose_ to face the consequences together." Rosie smiled as she stepped forward and knocked on the door before Cari could say anything else.

"Enter"

The three friends stood in front of Faragonda, with Mrs. Griselda standing to the right of her, and patiently waited for the older woman to start.

"Good morning Ladies. I hope you got some much-needed rest." the elderly woman started with a warm smile.

"We did, thank you, Headmistress." Cari replied with a slight nod.

Faragonda nodded before her smile slightly dropped. "Now I'm sure you three know why I called you here today…"

"I'm sorry Headmistress Faragonda!" Cari interrupted. "When I saw Masina was involved in that fire I just had to go talk to her and help the innocent people in danger. It was all my fault and I hope that you don't punish Rosie and Lea, they were just being amazing friends and helping me out. And it was lucky they followed me because I doubt I would've been able to be so confident or help so many people on my own… so if anyone's to be punished, it's me… please don't-" Cari stopped when Faragonda raised her hand, indicating for the girl to stop rambling.

"You three understand we have strict rules for a reason, correct?" Faragonda stated calmly, the three girls nodded. "It's to keep you blossoming students safe as you learn to control your magical abilities. There tend to be times where spells act unexpectedly during training. That is why we have the rule of a professor being present when practicing magic, followed by the strict consequence if broken…" The three girls lowered their heads and awaited their judgment.

"That being said… the whole point of Alfea is to prepare our students to grow and one day help those in need with their gifts. You three showed that very well yesterday and I am very proud of you."

"She is quite right ladies, you three displayed bravery, resourcefulness, and skill. All expected in a student of Alfea. Well done." Griselda said with a curt nod.

The three students were speechless. Out of everything they weren't expecting praise... expulsion? yea maybe... a scolding? Of course. But praise… definitely not.

"Uhh… thank you, Headmistress Faragonda." Rosie, being the first to recover, said.

"So we aren't in trouble? No expulsion?" Cari couldn't help but ask.

"Girl!" Lea harshly whispered.

"What? You can't say you _expected_ this…" Cari whispered back.

"Now I know you ladies are confused, so allow me to explain… Yes, you three broke an important school rule, but you are also upperclassmen with exceptional skill and training so that rule needn't be so strict. As I said before that rule is in place to keep my students safe. If a spell was to go awry the professor will easily be able to remedy the situation in that moment. And considering you three work with alumni with exceptional skill in your fields we are very confident in your capabilities. So, there will be no punishment nor reprimand, all we ask is since you are under the media spotlight now we will expect you three to continue being fine examples to your lower classmen. We wouldn't want them assuming they can put themselves in harm's way if it means they can gain their minutes of fame without consequence. Understood?" Faragonda asked with a smile.

"Understood, Headmistress Faragonda" the three replied.

"Good. Now since yesterday seemed like a difficult day you three are free to miss your morning classes. I have already informed your professors." Griselda told them.

"Thank you, Griselda. We wouldn't mind some time to discuss our findings." Rosie said

"O and that reminds me." Faragonda stood up. "Congratulations Talea on achieving your Enchantix. You are well on your way to becoming a guardian fairy."

Griselda said her congratulations while Rosie and Cari quickly gave their friend a tight hug.

"I'm sure you three would like to celebrate in your own way. You are free to go." Faragonda said with a gentle smile.

"O before we go, Headmistress, there is one thing you should know and I was hoping to get your permission on another…" Cari asked, timidly.

"What is it, my dear?" the older woman said sitting down once more.

"I believe the explosions that caused the fire at the facility was caused... by Masina…" Cari looked down in embarrassment

"Are you sure about this?"

Cari nodded. "That was one of the reasons we went to help with the fire… we saw her image in the news feed and i managed to talk to her for a bit…"

"Hmm… did she confess to this?"

"Not exactly… but she didn't deny it either…"

"Hmm… there might be more than what meets the eye…we mustn't be quick to set blame if we do not have the full story." Faragonda mused. "And what was the other thing that you wanted my permission on?"

"I-I would like to be an active part of the police investigation, but in order for that I need the school's permission…" Cari asked slightly hesitant.

"Of course n-"

"And why is this so important to you?" Faragonda asked interrupting Griselda.

"I was thinking: since Masina was involved with this fire, in one way or another... that if I help with the investigation it will eventually lead me to clues to where she is… or at least to who she has made a contract with… This is the first lead I've found and I just want to follow it..."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then do what Aunt Stella said worked for her? Work 'under the radar'…" Cari smiled, ignoring Griselda's groan of disapproval "or maybe take a leave from school until I find her? I'm not really sure… I just know I need to do _everything_ I can to find Masina no matter what… even if that means I have to leave Alfea to do it." Cari tried to hold back her tears at the thought of leaving her beloved school and friends. Her confidence in her decision grew when she felt her friend's supportive hands on her shoulder and felt comfort and strength from that small jester.

"Very well." Cari looked up in slight shock. "You have the school's permission to continue with the investigation. But I do implore that you be careful and know you have our support if needed."

Cari smile grew as Faragonda finished. "O Thank you! Thank you very much!"

"Now run along now, you wouldn't want to waste your morning in here," Faragonda said with a gentle smile.

Saying their goodbyes the three fairies left the office.

"Was it wise for you to grant that approval, Headmistress?" Griselda asked once the girls left.

"Would it have been better for her to go at it alone? You do recall how much trouble the Winx got into when our backs were turned…" Griselda said as she went to stand to look out her window.

"I remember Stella always getting into trouble and is now teaching the next generation to be just as bad…" Griselda said while shaking her head in disapproval.

Faragonda giggled. "Well, it is good that Cari is such an outright honest girl. And this way she knows she has the support if she should need it… and goodness knows she _will_ need it. Bloom won't be able to help anytime soon…" the headmistress frowned "The Winx are on the pursuit of that villain again, and who knows how long it will take for them to return…"

"They are more than capable, Faragonda. They did graduate under your tutelage after all." Griselda gave a reassuring smile, which the headmistress returned.

"You are very right Griselda. We must have faith in our girls… like we always have. Until then we will watch over the next generation…"

* * *

"Well of all the things we've seen that was by far the weirdest." Lea voiced as she plopped down on their sofa as soon as they got back to their apartment.

"Very true." Rosie agreed as she walked to the kitchen.

"I was so sure we were going to get in trouble…" Cari mused. "I guess they were proud we managed to save so many people?"

"Maybe… well, whatever, after yesterday's wild ride I'm glad we get a break for a few hours at least, so that's all that matters right now." Lea happily stretched, before glancing over to the oddly quiet redhead. "What's on your mind girl?"

"Hmm? O nothing really… just this odd feeling that I'm forgetting something very important. Like there was something I had to do…"

"Like school work important? I'm sure our profs will allow an extension…" Lea shrugged.

"No, it wasn't school work… I don't think… I wond-" She paused to pull out her ringing phone. She slightly paled when she saw the caller ID. "Uhh...I remember what I had to do…"

"Uh, you ok? You don't look too good…" Lea asked getting up to see who was calling that would have Cari so scared. Lea frowned before taking a few steps back. "Uhh… yea… good luck with that…"

"Wait! Don't leave me!" Cari exclaimed as Lea started walking to the kitchen.

"Sorry girl! I love you and all, but I won't get in the middle of _that_. I'll pray for your survival!"

And with that Cari was alone in the living room, phone still ringing in her hand, too scared to press the button.

"Maybe he'll forget if I ignore the call…?" Cari told herself.

"Better face the music now, as Lea would say." Akira said as she and Glyde flew over to her.

"But…" Cari was about to give a reason, when Glyde saw the picture on her phone he got excited and tapped the answer button. "No Glyde!" but it was too late... a hologram projection appeared of her clearly upset brother.

"CARIIII!"

"O heyy~ Aiden! What's up?" Cari answered as sweetly as possible, rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably.

"Don't you ' _What's up_?' me! You _forgot_ didn't you?!"

"Uhh…"

"I knew it! I was worrying all night for nothing!" Aiden exclaimed running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Sorry, Aidey… I didn't mean to forget… a lot happened last night and this morning. We just got back from Fargonda's office." Cari said slightly sad that she worried her brother so much.

"Is _that_ why you missed practice this morning? Did you get into trouble? Are you hurt? What _happened_?" Aiden asked in a panicked rush

"Umm… yes that's why I missed practice, no we didn't get into trouble we actually get praised for our efforts, and I'm physically fine no worries…" Cari finished with a smile.

"What happened, Sis? What aren't you telling me?" Aiden asked in a soft tone.

Cari sighed heavily, knowing she couldn't keep anything from her brother, she leaned back on the couch before answering.

"I don't wanna talk about it over the phone… can we meet up after classes?"

"Sure. I was going to visit Mallori after class we could go together and talk on the way?" Aiden asked

"Sounds great. I wanna check up on him too."

"Ok see you later."

"I'll be waiting at your school gates."

Aiden nodded. "Glad your safe Sis."

"Thanks, Aidey. I'll see you soon." She hung up the phone and stayed there on the couch a moment longer, recalling yesterday's events.

…

"You are going to be late in meeting the Prince."

"I'm still early Akira… and it's not like I'm going _there…_ " Cari said as she landed on a high tree branch at the border of Red Fountain and Cloud Tower's forests.

"Then why are we here?" the bird asked, trying to keep her distance from the dark forest.

"this place... relaxes me…" Cari said jumping to a nearby tree in Cloud Tower's forest.

Noticing that the fairy had no intention of going deeper into the forest Akira decided to stay on Red Fountain's side.

"I don't understand Cari… this forest _weakens_ fairies… how can it be _relaxing_? If anything it's stressful or unnerving…"

"I know it's weird… but it's _because_ it weakens me that I find it calming…" Cari heard her partner's silent question and choose to answer it. "I'm constantly told of the dangers I pose to everyone around me… that if I don't constantly train or stay focused I will lose control and hurt the people I love. Here, in this forest, I don't have to worry about any of that, I can fully relax and let my powers do what they want without worrying about the damage they can do. This forest kinda keeps me grounded and helps me remember why I keep physically in shape not just magically… you never know when you will lose your magic." Cari giggled at the memory of when she had gotten lost in this forest so many years ago.

But her giggled soon died down when she recalled the special pair silver eyes that always captivated her dreams.

"Cari?" the fairy slightly startled not realizing she was lost in her thoughts or had reached up to touch the dagger clipped in her hair.

"yea I'm fine Akira." she took another moment staring out into the forest before she took a deep breath.

' _I've waited so long… and even when I searched for you… sigh... it seems we weren't able to keep our promise in this life… So it might be time for me to move on... hopefully we can meet again in the next life… goodbye Manu, I'll never forget you…'_ A single tear escaped her crystal blue eyes.

Cari subtlety wiped it away before turning to head back towards Red Fountain a sad smile on her face.

As she jumped through the trees, she silently mourned for her savior, her friend, her first crush…

* * *

"Don't worry Cari. We'll find Masina again, and next time I'm sure she'll listen." Aiden said once they reached Mallori's hospital room.

"I hope so Aidey…" she replied with a small smile as she opened the door.

The siblings stopped when they saw Mallori fully dressed reaching for the door they just opened.

It was obvious Mallori was trying to escape so they knew they couldn't draw attention from the nurses. So Aiden immediately reached out and silently closed the door after ushering his sister fully inside.

"Mallori what do you think you are doing?" Aiden asked trying to keep the overwhelming feeling of De Ja Vu out of his head.

The only response they got from the Specialist is a grunt as he crossed his arms.

It took Cari a moment to realize that he was trying to escape, but what kept her silent wasn't the realization they almost ruined his escape but how he was glaring at her… She felt her face warm when he locked eyes with her. It slightly confused her why his glare looked... different… it wasn't as cold as times before. Sure, his stare was still sent chills up your spine… but it was softer, somehow. And a weird nostalgic feeling started gnawing at the back of her mind… like something was off in his eyes ...like the color should be different… lighter? but she couldn't be sure.

"did you need something?" He asked after their staring contest continued longer than needed.

"uh…" it took a second and a nudge from Aiden to tear her away from her thoughts. "n-no… we just came to visit...were you released already? I thought you still had about a week left." Cari asked ignoring the obvious. _'Maybe he's fully recovered after all…?'_

"Hn." Mallori shrugged.

"what does that mean?" Cari asked, arching a brow.

 _Sigh_ "your _escaping_ aren't you?" Aiden asked shaking his head, not really needing confirmation. He's been through this multiple times with his sister, he knew an escape attempt when he saw one.

"I'm fine." was all Mallori said

"O a prison break! Sounds like fun!" Cari exclaimed glancing at the door mischievously.

"No, no it's _doesn't_. He needs to listen to the doctor's orders or he won't fully recover!" Aiden exclaimed, slightly frustrated with her carefree personality.

"But it's so boring~ being stuck in here all the time. And don't they say that fresh air is a _good_ thing?" She countered.

"No Cari. We will not help him hurt himself further. He needs to recover properly, not be reckless."

"He won't be reckless… right, Mallori? You won't be reckless right?" Cari asked the Specialist

"hn."

"See! He'll be fine!" Cari said with a bright smile.

"No." Aiden said with finality as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Cari pouted as she crossed her arms in frustration, she turned away trying to think of something… when an idea hit her.

"Fine. Then let's have a sugar party instead!" Cari exclaimed excitedly.

"A What? No, he can't have so much sugar while he's recovering." Aiden said as Mallori looked at them with an arched brow.

"then _I'll_ eat most of it… but it's a good compromise if you won't let him out of here… sugar is pretty much the same thing!" She tried to reason.

"I'm pretty sure _you're_ the only one who thinks that way… and I don't think Mallori likes sugar like that."

"sure he does! You like sugar don't you Mallori?" Cari turned to face the specialist who looked back at her with deeper confusion. She winked at him, hoping he would just go with her plan.

"H-hn." He replied wondering if he was going to regret this.

"See! He loves sugar! Can you go smuggle some in? please~!" Cari begged.

"what? Why me? You go get it." Aiden said

"I can't… the nurses will automatically suspect me!" Cari pouted, these nurses were pretty sharp she couldn't deny that.

Aiden looked between Cari and Mallori. "I don't know…"

"Please~ Aidey~ it'll be fun!" Cari begged, giving him her puppy eyes that he could never deny.

Aiden groaned before giving in. "Fine. I'll be back…" he said turning to head out the room.

He stopped right at the door. Turned to lock eyes with the fairy. "Promise me Mallori doesn't step out this door, ok?"

Cari nodded immediately. "I promise Mallori will not take a single step out that door."

Aiden narrowed his at her before nodding and leaving the room. _'she never breaks her promises no matter what she wants…they'll be fine until i get back...'_

She waited a moment, making sure Aiden wouldn't suddenly walk back in, before turning to face Mallori. He was sitting back down on his bed removing his thigh pack, looking slightly annoyed.

"what're you doing? Get up! You wanna get out of here right?" she asked him placing her hands on her hips.

He arched a brow at her. "you don't break promises… and I'm not strong enough to beat you to the door." He replied a matter of factly.

"Ah-ha! You really aren't as fine as you claim!" She accused, to which he only turned away. "and your right I don't break my promises, _especially_ to Aiden." She replied proudly, as he stared at her oddly. "Anyway~ now that we have the facts out of the way, let's get outta here." Cari smirked when Mallori's expression changed from confusion to stunned

"But you just promised…" he started.

Cari rolled her eyes "I promised you wouldn't take a _single step_ out _that_ door…" she replied walking past him "but I said nothing about the _window_." He gaped at her as she opened the window and looked out.

Looking down the ten stories to make sure no one was looking she turned back to face him with a bright smile.

' _this kinda feels like a Disney movie flashback…'_

She giggled to herself before holding out her hand to him. "do you trust me?"

"Huh?" He asked staring at her arching his brow.

"Do. you. trust me?" She repeated slower, stepping closer to him.

He seemed to really think of his options for a moment.

She waited patiently as she looked deep into his dark eyes, ignoring the odd nostalgic feeling…

It only took him a few seconds to decide. "Enough" he said as he accepted her hand.

Smiling brighter she enveloped her magic around them both. "that wasn't the right line, but close enough!" She giggled as she pulled him out the window.

"Hey!" He exclaimed as they suddenly jump out the ten story window. He flailed a bit, but he quickly calmed down when he glanced at the giggling fairy.

"I thought you trusted me?" She giggled as she leads them over Magix.

"Hardly enough…"

"Hmm… maybe we'll change that soon." she said to herself, sure the wind will drown out her words.

Their journey was a quiet one, just enjoying the scenery as she circled the city.

They soon landed on the quieter end of the restaurant district.

Once safely on the ground Cari playfully bowed towards Mallori. "Thank you for riding Air Cari, we hope you enjoyed your prison break and flight."

She straightened up in time to see him roll his eyes and slightly nod his head before he turned away from her and started to walk away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Cari asked bouncing to his side.

"What does it concern you?" He asked without looking at her.

"Well, we're accomplices in crime now, sooo I thought we could chill before we head back." Cari shrugged.

"You broke me out of the hospital just to take me back after a stroll?" He practically growled as he stopped to face her.

"Psh. What would be the point in breaking you out then? I meant head back to the _dorms_ genius. You know where your bed and all your stuff is?… _Red Fountain_ …" when he just stood there staring at her she just shrugged "anyway it's still a bit early to head back now." Cari said looking at the time. "Unless you're already tired, then I can take you back now."

"Don't you need to be getting back to your boyfriend?"

"You mean Aiden? No, I don't need to get back to him… besides, it'll be best to avoid him for a bit." the fairy shrugged, casually folding her hands behind her head.

Mallori arched his brow, questioning silently.

"Well, he already knows what I did… and he's not too happy…"

"How does he know already?"

"Oo I texted him." Cari said while slightly waving her phone in the air. "so if I go rushing back to him, he'll give me an earful and I rather have some fun instead."

"Why would you tell him?" He asked completely confused

"Well, I didn't want him to worry about you and to let him know not to wait up."

"So you choose to be honest knowing you'll get in trouble… why?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I don't like lying… what's the point when the truth comes out in the end? And with my past, it's better to be upfront…" she sadly shrugged, looking away.

She turned back to him when she heard his stomach rumble loudly. A teasing smile on her face.

"Someone's hungry~"

Mallori crossed his arms and looked away with a silent huff, which only made the fairy giggle.

"Come on let's grab a bite."

"I'm fine."

"Don't be stupid your recovering you need all the nutrients you can get. Now come on."

"No."

Cari took a deep breath trying not to start a fight, knowing it could turn into a sparring match and he's in no shape for that. She looked him up and down trying to figure out why he doesn't want to grab food when he's obviously hungry…

Then she realized something… he was missing his thigh pack… the same pack he usually carries his wallet in. That's when she remembered _'he took it off when Aiden left… he doesn't have money…_ that's _why… and I doubt he'll accept my help…'_

Thinking back she remembered that Aiden once told her he doesn't like seeing good food go to waste. That's when she got a brilliant idea…

"well _you_ might be fine, but _I'm not_ … so hang tight on that bench over there while _I_ grab something to eat…"

"I think I'll just leave…"

"If you don't stay on that bench I'll personally take you back to the hospital and enjoy feeding you their tapioca pudding…" Cari threatened.

They glared at each other waiting for the other to submit. After a moment Cari smiled when he just huffed and walked over to the bench.

She stalled just a second longer to make sure he wasn't going to take off as soon as she turned around before jogging over to the small food stand she spotted close by.

"My if it isn't Miss Cari." The owner of the small stand smiled at the fairy. "It's been a while. How you been?"

"Hey, Ronny! So lucky to catch you around here! I've been missing your amazing food!" Cari exclaimed once she reached the food cart.

"Yea my cart broke down a while ago and it took some time to fix." the older man said with shrug.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me? I would've helped you fix it up." Cari asked.

"I can't be having you help me with _every_ little thing!"

"I love helping out. What's wrong with that?"

"I'll be indebted to you for the rest of my life, that's what's wrong. And I only have so much food!" They both laughed at that.

"Then how about we wipe this so-called 'debt' clean right now! I need a _huge_ favor." Cari winked mischievously.

"Oo? And how may I finally be freed from your delicate clutches?" Ronny teased back with an equally mischievous smile.

"You see that Specialist behind me? Well, he's starving but is refusing to eat anything because he left his wallet behind. So I need something so mouthwateringly tempting that he wouldn't be able to refuse."

"Hmm… that's a large favor indeed… but who am I to deny you, my dear. I assume your usual amount for two?" He winked, she nodded and he got to work.

Cari graciously thanked him when he finished their order. She skipped back to Mallori who was impatiently waiting for her.

"Hey sorry, it took so long! But you can't rush genius!" Cari said sitting down, placing the food in between them. She smirked when she saw Mallori catch a whiff of the delicious aroma.

"That's a lot of food…" he murmured

"Are you implying that a girl can't eat this much food?" Cari arched a challenging brow at him.

"Hn." He looked away, as she unwrapped the first burger.

"I'll show you to underestimate a girl…" Cari challenged as she started to scarf down the large stuffed burger. Every bite or so she would give Mallori a side glance and saw how much he was struggling to hide his hunger.

' _Time to set my plan in action…'_ She clutched her stomach once she finished the first burger. "Oops… I think I ate too fast…" she almost whispered as she took a pained glance at the rest of the food beside her.

"Hn. Told you …" Mallori murmured, rolling his eyes.

"What am I going to do? I don't think I can finish _all_ this… I don't wanna hurt Ronny's feelings…" Cari smiled when Ronny looked over and waved at them.

"You should've thought of that before getting so much…"

"Hey help me finish it…" Cari begged.

"Why should I help you?"

"Well …I'm a fairy in distress and isn't it a specialist's job to help fairies in need?"

"You won't die."

"Fine, how about this… you _owe_ me." He arched a brow in silent question. "Well, I did get you out of the hospital after all and if it wasn't for me they would've eventually found you and taken you back… now you are free to go back to the dorms under the supervision of your team leader." Mallori looked away not denying her words. "Aren't I such a good friend? And all I ask for in return is to help me eat this food to spare Ronny's feelings … it sounds like an even trade to me."

"You can just save it for later."

"I won't have time to eat it later… I'll have to throw it away and all this food will go to waste, I'll feel worse for that. Come on it won't hurt you to eat some." Cari stated as she forced a burger into his hands. She turned to open and start eating her second burger, hoping that Mallori will eat as well.

Sneaking a sideways glance, she tried her best to hide a smile when he unwrapped the burger and took a bite.

Cari was shocked when she saw the smallest hint of a smile. She wasn't sure what was stranger… the fact the most serious Specialist knew how to show such a genuine smile or that her heart skipped a beat when she saw it.

Hoping he didn't notice her staring or blush she forced her eyes to look forward and focus on the peaceful scenery as they ate their meal.

…..

"I can make it back on my own." Mallori said crossing his arms, rejecting her offered hand.

"And how do you expect to make it back, huh?" Cari asked resting her hands on her hips in annoyance. They had lost track of time and accidentally missed the last bus back to campus. Of course, she offered to fly him back, but he was being stubborn… as usual.

He just nodded towards the trees.

"No. _No way_! I will _not_ let you go _jumping_ through the trees when I can simply _fly_ you there."

"Not like I haven't before…"

"Any other time, where you are at your fullest, I wouldn't care, but if you think I will let you do what you like when you just broke out of the hospital _against_ your doctor's wishes then you have another thing coming."

"You helped me…"

"Don't change the subject!" Cari countered as he rolled his eyes. "Now come on, it's getting late!" She offered her hand to him again.

"No."

"Mallori if you don't come _willingly_ I will take you by _force_ … Do you really wanna be dragged back to the hospital by a _little fairy_?" Cari challengingly arched her brow, hand still outstretched.

Cari waited as he deliberated his options, she saw him calculating in his head and soon enough heard him sigh in defeat. She smirked as he reached to accept her hand without sparing her another glance.

Without another word, Cari enveloped her magic around them and took to the skies.

She glanced at the Specialist when he sharply squeezed her hand as soon as they were well above the tree line. Looking over she saw his eyes were squeezed shut, slight sweat on his forehead.

Slightly cocking her head in confusion she wondered if he was afraid of heights, but knew that couldn't be right… he was a Specialist after all… they train in far worse situations.

Then it hit her… he wasn't used to trusting others with his life and being so high where no one could survive on their own must be pushing his limits.

With a soft smile, she lowered their height until they were weaving in between the branches. Sparing a side glance, she noticed he opened his eyes and seemed to be slightly enjoying the flight.

They had a peaceful flight back to campus, the forest was settling for the night… moonlighting their way through the trees… crickets chirping below.

The flight seemed shorter than normal to her when they arrived and gently landed in front of Red Fountain. They continued to hold hands for a few more seconds than needed.

In a slight panic Cari let go of his hand with a little spin before saying:

"We have arrived to your destination!" Cari dramatically said with a bright smile and slight bow. "I hope you enjoyed your flight, Sir Lori!"

When she straightened up she was confused as to why he was staring at her with a shocked expression.

' _Why is he looking at me like that?'_

' _You just nicknamed him…'_ Akira giggled.

Cari's eyes widen. "Oh my gosh! I'm sorry! It's a weird habit of mine…only happens when I meet specific people." He arched his brow. "Not in a bad way!" she exclaimed hoping he wouldn't misunderstand. "Uh…I bet nicknames isn't your style, so if you don't like it then you won't hear it again. Just say the word and its gone from my mind forever!" She looked away embarrassed and nervously, silently hoping he would accept it…

"Hn." Cari quickly turned back to face him just to see his back, already walking towards the school's entrance.

' _Um… he didn't say anything…'_ Cari thought, staring at the spot where Mallori disappeared half expecting him to pop back to tell her never to call him that again.

' _No, he didn't'_ Akira confirmed.

' _Does that mean…?'_

' _I believe so.'_

' _You really think he doesn't mind it?'_

' _Well, he probably doesn't fully understand since you are always too embarrassed to explain it… but seems he accepted the sentiment… surprisingly.'_ Akira said appearing as her bird form in from on the fairy.

' _It's an embarrassing habit! Not an easy thing to talk about…'_ Cari said with a slight blush as she turned to start heading back to Alfea.

' _But it's an important habit to you.'_ Akira commented following close behind.

Shrugging they continued back in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

Akira thinking about her sister.

Cari about the odd warm buzzing in her chest.

* * *

 **Hello Everyone!**

 **I know it's been a while... but a lot has been happening in my life. My handsome doggie of 14 years passed away a couple of weeks ago, he had a bad heart and old age. It was a bit hard for me since I decided to put him down, he kinda had a mini heart attack and I didn't want him to experience another one.**

 **But the kinda good thing is... he passed during my busy season so I couldn't stay depressed for long...I have two other pups to support after all. And Writing helped _a lot_ too that's why ...* _dramatic pause_ *... I'm posting TWO chapters this week! Yay! **

**Hope you enjoy!**

 **And a special shout-out to my new followers! Seeing people interested in my story makes me eager to write more!**

 **And to Griff141: Hope you're being a sneaky reader! ;-)**

 **Well, enjoy! And remember you are _all_ amazingly wonderful people!**

 **Love,**

 **~P. Yukiko**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Well, that's it for today!" Cari said folding her hands behind her head as she looked down at the three exhausted Specialists as she floated above them. They had just finished a training session in the simulator, Cliff's setting.

"What?! But we normally go for much longer!" Mallori exclaimed jumping to his feet.

"Well, _normally_ you three would be in perfect health, but it's obvious you're _not_." Cari shrugged.

"We're fine! Let's do the 3 vs. 3,000." Mallori said.

"Wait, what? No. I am not going to set you three up against an army!"

"Why not? We've done it before."

"Well, let's see. One, that game is boring for me. Only you guys get the work-out, while I sit around being 'strategic'. Two, my dolls are currently under repair. Three and most important: you guys are nowhere _near_ ready to even come _close_ to completing that challenge right now, I would win in a matter of minutes. I'll consider it when you are all back to normal."

"When do you think that will be?" Cal asked.

"Hmm… maybe after a month." Cari shrugged.

"What?! No! We have had enough rest! We are perfectly fine!"

 _Sigh_. "Listen Mallori… I know it's hard to take the time to recover, but if you push yourself too hard it will take longer to recover, might even result in a lasting handicap… do you _really_ want that?" Cari asked, trying her hardest to be patient, ignoring her brother's stare. She could just hear his thoughts: 'Calling the kettle black aren't we, Cari?'. She refused to stick her tongue out to him and just focused on the upset Specialist.

"I told you I'm _fine_. Why can't you just believe that?" He took a side step as he crossed his arms.

"Because of _that_." Cari pointed to his foot.

He huffed as he followed her finger. His eyes slightly widened in shock when he saw that his foot wasn't on the cliff… it was actually being supported by Cari's magic, keeping him from falling. He quickly stepped back, avoiding her smirk.

" _One_ little mistake proves _nothing_."

"O yea? Then how about _four_?" Cari held up four fingers. "That's how many times I had to save you from falling off these cliffs in the last _two_ hours! You know how annoying that was?"

"I didn't ask for your help!" He snapped back.

"O so you _wanted_ me to let you fall and break a leg or two? Let you end up in the hospital again? Ok, I'll keep that in mind next time! Gosh! Why are you so dense!" Cari exclaimed as she crossed her arms in frustration.

"Now, now. There's no need to get _too_ upset with him Cari." Cal said in a soft tone. "It's understandable that he dislikes being in... a weakened state. And you are correct in the sentiment that Mallori needs to take better care of himself, but Mallori has a point in that we know our limits and would know when training would get to be too much."

"O really, Cal!?" Cari exclaimed her patience gone she landed in front of the young prince. "Are you _really, positively_ sure about that? Because I can tell that you are still pretty sensitive where the beast broke your rib." He flinched and sucked in a breath as she sharply poked his side. "I had to go easy on you multiple times! And down get me started on you, Aiden!" Cari spun to face her brother, he held his breath and took a step back afraid of her oncoming wrath. "I understand that you are the leader and responsible for your teammates and all, but what good are you to them if all you do is turn to check up on them every possible second? I could've knocked you out a handful of times while you were distracted. And don't even think that I didn't notice your shoulder is still bugging you!" She turned to glare at all three of them. "So either you three take the weeks needed to recover properly or you take Rosie's tonic for a faster recovery. Don't know why you guys stopped taking it in the first place. I know it's nasty but too it works." The three Specialists looked at each other at the mention of the tonic but said nothing, shaking her head Cari just sighed. "Let me know when you decide, until then… no practices!" she turned to leave.

"No practices?!" Mallori exclaimed in rage. Cari stopped, anger and annoyance boiling up to a new high, before spinning on her heel and stomping towards him.

"You have your choices, choose." She said with a cold tone, before reaching out and grabbing a fistful his uniform. "And pay attention to where you step!" She turned, still gripping his uniform, and dragged him away from the edge of the cliff where her magic was supporting him _again_ and dropped him close to his teammates before continuing towards the exit.

"Wait Cari!" Aiden called out to his sister. "If we choose to heal naturally how long will it be for you to agree to spar with us again?"

"...Minimum four weeks."

"Isn't that a bit much Cari?" Cal asked.

"No. That's a bit generous. I would say five or six weeks to be safe, but I know you three are inpatient."

"Are those the only options you can give us?" Aiden asked.

Cari looked back and grew curious to her brother's pleading eyes. "Why does it matter so much when we spar again?"

"Uhh… well, the thing is…" Aiden wondered if he should tell her the truth or not. Before he could decide Mallori jumped in.

"We can't participate in any missions or major school practices until _you_ deem us fit."

"Who decided this?" Cari asked

"Headmaster Saladin," Aiden replied. "He knew you might be biased… but he also knows you think of safety and health above anything else."

"Hmm." Cari took a moment to think about it. She knew that not being able to do missions for a while could set them far behind in their classes, and that wasn't good for her bet. But she couldn't risk them getting hurt if she could help it.

 _Sigh_. "Well, unfortunately for you three that doesn't change my mind." She stood firm and did her best to ignore her desire to fix her brother's defeated look.

There was a tense moment before Cal took the chance to speak up. "Will you grant us a light training session this weekend? Nothing like a challenge, just a light workout to keep us fit?"

"The War challenge seems like a light workout." Mallori commented.

Cari glared at him "We won't be doing _that_ challenge for another few _months_ , so get over it." She turned to Cal with a soft smile. "Sorry Cal. I would, but I can't this weekend. I'm being called home."

"I didn't hear anything about that? Why wasn't I told? Is everything ok?" Aiden asked, suddenly concerned.

"Everything's fine. Grandpa just wants me to meet someone. It seems that a friend of his is coming to visit and since Mama is away I think he needs me to take her place as host. I'm sure it's going to be another boring political meet and greet." Cari shrugged.

"Hn. Sounds like you just don't want him to meet your grandfather." Mallori commented.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I want Aiden to see grandpa?" Cari arched her brow.

"Ignore him." Cal interrupted. "If you need any help in politics, I am no stranger to it nor am I hard to reach." He winked with a confident smirk.

"Yea, thanks, Cal. I'll keep that in mind. Uh...Well, I better get going. You guys rest up!" Cari said as she jogged out of the simulator, and headed back to Alfea.

' _Well, that was just plain weird at the end there…'_ Cari thought.

' _Which part?'_ Akira asked

' _Lori's and Cal's comments… didn't they seem_ odd _to you?'_

' _A bit… perhaps there was some deeper meaning to their comments and offer?'_ Akira replied, with a hint of knowing.

' _Like what?'_

' _Hmm… time will tell.'_

' _Aww come on! you know, don't you? Now I'm curious!'_

' _Perhaps you should ask your brother… though I doubt he is ready to share his findings.'_ the dragon giggled.

' _Now your just being cryptic on purpose…'_ Cari frowned.

'Or y _ou are just slow to catch on.'_

' _Meanie. Fine, I'll find out on my own.'_

' _Good. The best of luck to you... and them.'_

Cari shook her head at her partner, still wondering what she meant as she journeyed home.

* * *

"Hey Papa!" Cari exclaimed as she stepped through the portal, Lea opened for her, to Eraklyon's throne room.

"There's my beautiful daughter! What a lovely surprise! How are you?" Sky exclaimed as they hugged.

"I'm good. What do you mean surprise? DIdn't Grandpa tell you I was coming?"

"My father asked you to come home?" Sky looked at her with shock before his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Don't tell me… it was to ' _meet his friend_ '?" Sky asked with a slight frown.

"Yes… was that bad?"

"Uh… I think you should get back to Alfea." Sky said while glancing at the time. " _now_." He started to lead his questioning daughter out the door when they burst open before them.

"Announcing the former King Erendor! And his guest: General Cedric!" The announcer proclaimed before quickly bowing and exiting the room.

"Ahh my son! How good it is to see you!" the former King said patting his son on the shoulders, before looking down and catching Cari's eye. "Ahh my dear granddaughter, you have grown into a most lovely flower!" he exclaimed as he gave her a quick hug.

"Uhh… thanks, grandpa. It's good to see you." She said with a smile. _'Ok, something's up… he is never this happy or compliments this much…'_

' _Perhaps he has changed for the better in his old age?'_ Akira hoped, also concerned for the former King's odd behavior.

"My dear why are you not in your formal attire? It is not proper to greet guests dressed as a _commoner_." her grandfather said, with a slight tint of annoyance in his eyes.

' _Yup that's more like him…'_ "Apologies grandfather. I have just arrived. I did not expect to meet your friend so early from the arranged time." Cari politely said with a slight nod of her head.

"Hmm… agreed we have arrived a tad early."

' _More like two hours early…'_ Cari internally commented

"But you should always be prepared. Isn't that right Sky?"

"You're not... wrong, Father. Always depends on the circumstance" Sky said with a forced smile.

"Now Erendor no need to be so harsh. My son is running late as well, so she has time to change if she wishes." a tall, and very muscular man stepped beside the former king with a soft smile. He had dark blue and silver streaked hair, scars running down his arms. It was obvious he was a skilled fighter, if the three swords strapped to his waist or armour wasn't any indication. Cari couldn't help the glee at meeting this man in person for the first time. He is known for his feared military force that he grew from almost nothing and became one of the most respected warriors in the Magical Dimension. The great General Cedric's tactical brilliance was envied by all.

' _But why do i have a sinking feeling about him being here…?'_ Cari wondered, before she was forced out of her thoughts.

"Of course she wants to change. Now run along dear we will see you for brunch." the former king instructed. Knowing she had no choice she looked to her father with silent permission. His eyes expressed his apology, but she just smiled back before slightly curtsying to the three men and walked out the room.

Once the door was closed, she sighed heavily. _'I have a bad feeling about this…'_

' _You worry too much. I'm sure it will be fine.'_

' _I don't know Akira… Papa seemed pretty surprised i was back… why wouldn't Grandpa tell him? What is he up to? And what does it have to do with the general?'_

' _Maybe he knew how much you idolize him and wanted to surprise you…?'_

' _Maybe you're right…'_

….

' _Or maybe you are very, very wrong…'_ Cari's stomach dropped as soon as she entered the dining room, after she had finished getting dressed into one of the 'princess' gowns that her grandfather had sent her for her birthday the year before. She personally didn't like it mainly because it was so heavy with the numerous layers of silk and millions of beads and gems woven into the fabric, the only good thing about it was the color. The light purple drew out her highlights and flattered her figure.

Though she would never choose to wear it for a long meeting like this one was bound to be, she didn't want to upset her grandfather who was so obviously trying to impress his friend, who was also her idol.

But when she laid eyes on the four people seated at the table, and one person in particular, she debated whether she could let him down for once and just step out of the room unseen. But those thoughts were quickly crushed when the announcer loudly proclaimed her arrival, causing her to jump and considered hurting the man who ruined her escape.

"Ahh there is my beautiful granddaughter. I knew you would look like a proper princess with the dress i sent you!" the former king exclaimed proudly.

' _I guess i don't look like a proper princess otherwise…'_ "Thank you grandfather. Only you would find a dress such as this." Cari replied with her fake, yet natural looking, political smile as she walked to the table.

Once she reached the table she gave a slight curtsy before she took her seat on the right side of her father, across her grandfather and General Cedric.

"I must say, Princess Calida Cari, you do look as breathtaking as I have been told." General Cedric said with a sincere smile. His compliment did lighten the mood within her, and she managed to give him one of her genuine smiles, but it was soon gone when the guest next to her spoke.

"Yes, you do clean up nice if I do say so myself." Cari took in a quick breath before turning to acknowledge the young man seated next to her.

"Ahh that's right!" The general started. "May i introduce my oldest son, Warner. He has impeccable skill for one so young! Well, he'd better after all the teaching I put into him!" the general laughed.

"Oo is that so? I never would have guessed." She commented, and smirked when his smug face slightly fell.

"Cari!" Erendor scolded, while the general laughed good naturedly

"Yes, he still needs to add some muscle on his bones, but i assure you I have trained him well."

"Anyone trained by you, General, should be skilled. Hopefully _all_ who get that privilege practice as hard as you teach, else they let _disappoint_ your prestigious legacy. Perhaps I will be fortunate enough to see these skills first hand one day." Cari replied, ignoring the fuming student beside her.

"I am sure Warner will be eager to show off his skills to you later. Wouldn't you son?"

"Oo yes I am very eager to show off my _many_ skills to Princess Cari." Warner said with a smirk.

"O Sir Warner, it's Princess _Calida_ Cari. I barely know you enough to be so informal." Cari said with a hard smile.

"There's no need to be so formal my dear." Cari turned to her grandfather, trying her best not to glare at him. "After all he _is_ a candidate to be your fiance." He finished with pride.

Cari was too shocked to respond, thankfully her father wasn't.

"Father, what do you mean by that?!" Sky exclaimed.

"Exactly what I meant, Sky. Cari is of marrying age, it is time to choose a fiance for her. As our customs dictate, the King normally chooses the candidate, but the former King may choose one as well. And it so happens that Warner is my choice." Erendor motioned to the young Specialist, as said boy puffed out his chest with such smug pride it was suffocating "And what an excellent candidate he is. A student at Red Fountain, excellent marks, handsome, superb laneige, not to mention this could spark a strong alliance." the former King said matter-of-factly.

"I thought we agreed to _disband_ that custom when I married Bloom." Sky commented

"Of course we can disband it for a _son_ of Eracklon, but the women still need guidance to find a proper King to rule the kingdom. Not just _anyone_ will do."

"I do not need a King to rule by my side, Grandfather. You have said so yourself." Cari stated

"True, I may have said that, but you will still need a strong hand by your side. I am just trying to help you find that strength. You do want what is best for our people, do you not?"

"Of course I do! But what of my feelings grandfather? Don't i have a say in who i choose to be by my side? To be the future King to my beloved people?" Cari asked.

"Of course you have _some_ say, we can allow you to pick from the candidates we choose. But I see that you are still being led by your emotions, which only cements my point that we should consider choosing _for_ you. We know how dangerous your emotions can get, you will need someone just as strong to keep them in check. And don't worry you don't need to truly _love_ your king as long as you fully love your kingdom and the safety of its citizens."

' _I'm not getting anywhere with him… he doesn't care if I'm miserable so long as his kingdom prospers… then let's try something else…'_ Cari took a calming breath before saying: "Then what of Sir Warner's thoughts? I am sure he does not want to be forever stuck with the ' _cursed princess_ '. How will I stay strong for my people if the king despises the queen by his side?"

"On the contrary my dear, _he_ is the one who asked for this matching." Erendor said with pride. Cari turned to Warner in utter shock

' _But it was clear he hated me even before I broke his sword… is this some sort of revenge? What is he up to? There is no way he would want this?'_

Erendor mistook her silence for happiness and continued with a smile "Now don't get me wrong,Cari, you are a beautiful and proper princess, when needed, not to mention from an excellent family, but I was concerned as you are of that… title. I thought I would never find a proper candidate. But thankfully my prayers were answered when my dear old friend contacted me to tell me of his son's interest in courting you. You can't imagine how elated I was to hear of the news, and I could not wait to introduce you! He is an excellent match for you and I had a feeling you would be just as elated to have someone so eager for your hand! Besides it's not like you are dating anyone at the moment."

' _Is he serious?!'_ Akira exclaimed in Cari's head.

Cari couldn't hold her tongue back any longer "But Grandpa! I -!"

"Father…" Sky interrupted his daughter knowing she had reached her limit of insults from the former king. He gave her a soft smile, a silent warning to hold her tongue, before turning back to his father. "I know you mean well, but I will not allow you to talk to my daughter that way."

"I only stated facts. There is no reason to be displeased."

"We will talk more later. Now General Cedric. I am honored that you and your son have come all this way to meet us and I am not sure what my father has said or promised you… but I will inform you now: My _daughter_ , will be the one choosing who her future husband and King will be. I will not force her into a loveless marriage. I am sure you understand, afterall which parent would not want their child's happiness above all else."

"You are very right, King Sky!" The general responded with a bright smile. "And I apologize for any misunderstandings. All we wanted was an audience with the young princess who has seriously tickled my son's fancy. He tells me they spoke a bit on passing the first day of school and was smitten since. But try as he might he could never catch her eye on his own, so he asked me for help in a chance to talk to her once more. And perhaps a chance to get to know each other better." The General playfully winked at Cari.

She slightly blushed and looked down at her empty plate.

' _That jerk!'_ Akira almost screamed. ' _He seems to have left out the part where on that same day you easily beat him in a duel!'_

' _Of course he wouldn't tell that to his incredibly talented father… god forbid he is anything but the model son…'_

"Now that wouldn't be too bad. Right Cari? Time to get to know each other. You can start by taking a nice stroll through the gardens." the former King suggested.

"I don't thin-"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Warner answered before Cari could say anything more. "I heard your gardens are a sight to behold!"

"Excellent. While the young ones enjoy the gardens why don't we enjoy the archery field?" Erendor asked Cedric. "Perhaps I can beat you this time."

The General laughed "One can only hope, my friend!"

"Will you join us my son?"

"I believe i can spare a couple of hours. I just need to change into a more appropriate attire. Shall i meet you there?" Sky asked standing up. Everyone stood up at the same time and slightly bowed before Sky as he left the room.

"Excuse me a moment, gentlemen. I must use the ladies room before our... stroll. I shall meet you by the north entrance Sir Warner." Cari said before casually walking out of the room.

Once the doors closed, she quickly covered her mouth to stifle a scream.

"I figure there is some history between you and this young man?" Sky asked his daughter when they were certain their guests couldn't hear them.

Cari rushed to hug her father. She took a moment to relax into his arms, she always felt safe and calmed with him.

Taking a deep breath she stepped back and looked up at him.

"Remember that bratty kid that I meet the first day of school?" Cari smirked when she felt her father slightly tense

"The one who called you a witch and attacked you?" he asked, Cari nodded confirmation

"And the one whose sword I broke… Yup, he's the same one."

"O I have a good mind to beat some sense into that boy…"

Cari giggled. "It's ok Papa. I already have, _multiple_ times" her smirk had Sky laughing.

"That's my girl!" he praised as he ruffled her hair. He sighed before he looked at her with an apologetic smile. "I am sorry my father is putting you through this, Cari. You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I can make up an excuse for you…"

She shook her head. "It's ok Papa. I'll think of this as training for any future cocky, arrogant, annoyances that grace my path. And he already knows I can kick his butt if he pushes me too far." she giggled.

"You remind me so much of your mother. I am so proud of you _and_ your patience. O and I know this might not be the best time, but with the festival coming up can I ask for your help on a few matters? With your mother gone I need a feminine touch to some of the decorations."

"Of course I'll help, Papa. Aunt Stella will be in tears if the cake didn't match the drapes, or flowers, or anything for that matter." Cari giggled when he gently pinched her cheeks.

"Hey! They all looked fine to me!" he laughed. "But thanks i appreciate it." he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Any time Papa!" She beamed

"Now go run along and try not to _burn_ your suitor too much." Sky winked as Cari giggled before running off to meet her _unwelcomed_ guest.

…..

"I know it must be such a great honor to be in my presence Princess Cari, but i assure you I do not bite…" Warner smirked at her in a way that made her want to roll her eyes. "That is unless you _beg_ for it." Cari tried her best not to expel her meal at his implication, as he leaned far too close to her for the sixth time in thirty minutes.

"Now Sir Warner..." She said taking a few steps back. "I have told you, _multiple_ times already, please address me as Princess Calida Cari."

"But _my_ princess we are by far in need of such formalities at this point. We are soon to be betrothed after all." He said reaching for her hand which she quickly lifted to cross her arms in front of her.

"Did you not hear my father, Sir Warner? If I do not wish to, i am _not_ obligated to marry you. I am currently only being forced to be a host during your stay here, this time together means nothing in any way shape or form."

"But how could you deny one such as _me_." He said with the most arrogant tone in his voice as he waved his arm before himself indicating his 'splendor'.

"O i can deny _very_ easily…" She turned away from him and continued walking through the gardens. _'I don't know how much longer I can take of his 'glorious' pretentious presence…'_

' _I am so thankful Prince Aiden is nothing like him…'_ Akira commented

' _Psh as if I would allow it… i can't believe girls just throw themselves at this fool…'_

' _Not everyone has a sound mind at your age…'_

' _That's accurate…'_

" _My_ princess! Don't leave me behind, are we not taking the time for you to fall deeper in _love_ with me?" Warner exclaimed once he reached her side again.

"I. am. not. _your_ princess, Sir Warner."

"That will change soon enough…" He commented.

"I am _not_ in love with you."

"Which is shocking I know…"

"Ugh. I don't even believe you are even interested in me. I did _break_ your beloved sword after _humiliating_ you in front of your peers. Humiliation such as that does not transform into affections. So what are you really up to? Why are you _really_ here?" Cari glared at the young Specialist, waiting for his response.

Cari was taken aback when he suddenly took a deep breath and gave her the most sincere smile he has shown in the time she's known him.

"I know we got off on the wrong foot… but my feelings for you are real. I know you are more than you appear…"

' _Maybe we were wrong about him all along… maybe he does have some sort of heart…'_ Cari began thinking

"a real powerhouse that outshines any witch or fairy, aside from your mother. Having you by my side will make me more feared and powerful than my father! And with your cursed title is even better! My enemies will cower at my very name! The one who tamed the Cursed Princess!" He finished with unbridled excitement

' _Or maybe we were spot on…'_ Cari gave him a look utter disappointment.

"I know what you are thinking… what can I give to a powerful fairy like you…Well first of all, I _am_ quite a catch, my good looks are the envy of all. Second you will no longer need to worry about your kingdom being attacked. For your King," he said placing a hand on his chest "will be leading the most powerful army the magical universe has ever seen! Not to mention an alliance with _." He ran a hand through his stupid blue hair before shrugging "There are also some minor benefits, but those are the biggest _and_ best if I do say so myself. So when should we announce our engagement?" He asked with excitement as he grasped her hands in his.

Cari shook herself out of the utter shock of his words and quickly removed her hands from his grip.

"How about next of _never_. I will _never_ choose you as my husband. I will marry someone who will make me happy, not someone who gifts me with the promise of power." She turned away from him in disgust and disappointment for how could her idol spawn such a despicable creature. "I am sorry but you are not the one for me _or_ my kingdom." She walked away from him, but he quickly caught up.

"You cannot deny me forever! You _will_ be mine one way or another! Besides it's not like there are many suitors out there asking for the _cursed_ princess' hand. You should be _grateful_ someone as handsome and brilliant as _me_ even wants you!" He sneered

"If you recall, someone does want me…someone _far_ better than you in every way" she replied

"I heard rumors of you dating that commoner Aiden, but it doesn't seem to be very serious since you haven't introduced him to your family yet." He smirked when she hesitated. "See. He isn't someone who can grace this castle so easily."

' _O you'd be surprised…'_

"I assure you he is a _far_ better man than you ever will be. But regardless, you will not change my mind, i will not accept your hand in marriage."

"O I am sure i have a way to change your mind…" he winked

"O really? And what way may that be?" she asked with an arched brow.

"With a single kiss..." he leaned in dangerously close, to where she was barely able to dodge his lips at all.

"How dare you!" She exclaimed "I have half a mind to burn you where you stand!"

"O but you wouldn't… not at the risk of getting on bad terms with your grandfather and the great General Cedric! Imagine the controversy! The cursed Princess in a fit of _sudden uncontrolled_ rage attacked her _honored_ guest and _fiance_!" he laughed haughtily "I would say that would ruin _any_ chance you or your beloved family have at a peaceful life _ever_ again." He said leaning in closer. "So, all you just need to kiss me and I wont say spread any more rumors against you."

Cari stared at him in utter shock and disbelief.

' _Just for more power and fame he wants you to bend to his will?… well i say: make him regret those words and beat him into the ground!'_ Akira exclaimed

' _I can't… he might ruin my family's, especially Aiden's, peaceful life. And I can't take him away from his real friends, he's finally found comrades to trust, I can't ruin his happiness now…'_

' _Then what are you going to do, Cari?'_

' _... the only thing i can do...run!'_ She exclaimed as she missed another encounter with his disgusting lips. Without looking back she ran straight into the large maze close by.

Thankfully, she grew up exploring these gardens so she knew her way around the maze.

Soon enough she made it to the tricky to find corner of the maze, but was still able to hear Warner's cries for her.

"Playing hard to get just makes me more excited when i catch you _my_ precious princess. Just wait until i find you!"

"Good luck finding me, jerk." Cari said mainly to herself as she started to raise herself out of the maze, fully intending to leave her 'guest' wander the gardens alone.

"O, and you better not _fly_ away from here or I will tell the media a nice little story of how you _kidnapped_ an innocent recovering Specialist from the safety of the Hospital against his will, last week!"

"What are you talking about?!" Cari yelled back

"I saw you take that emo kid out the window of his room! And from what i hear he was still in recovery when you kidnapped him! Imagine how it would look if people find out that you took an injured student, just fresh out of a _coma_ no less, out of the _safety_ of the Hospital where his doctors all said he needed to stay longer under supervision!"

"How do you know about that?!"

"What can i say, i can be very persuasive. A single kiss from me can make any girl fall under _my control_. Nurses are no exceptions!"

' _Now what Cari?'_

' _I'm not sure Akira… if that gets out then it will affect Mallori, maybe even Aiden since we're dating… not to mention it will make it hard for me to keep tabs with the authorities in locating Masina… what do i do? If only Aiden was here… he'd know…'_

' _Call him…'_ nodding Cari reached for her pocket but realized this annoying dress didn't have any pockets so she left her phone in her room.

' _Arghhhh! Now what?'_

"I'm have a feeling I'm getting closer _my_ dear princess!" Warner yelled out confidently.

Cari could hear his footsteps on the other side of the hedge. Looking around she saw there was no exit in this part of the maze. She had chosen the most secluded and hard to find spot, hoping she would just fly out of here unseen by him… now she was regretting her choice. How was she going to get out of this one without getting anyone in trouble?

' _Summon him!'_

' _What?'_ Cari asked stunned

' _Your hair pin! Summon Prince Aiden!'_

Nodding, Cari touched her pin and wished her brother was by her side. In that same moment Waren had found her and rushed to harshly grab her wrist away from her clip.

"Let me go!" she struggled debating if she should toss him through the spiky hedges.

"Don't even think of throwing me. Or the media will hear about your witchy kidnappings and uncontrollable powers. All i require to keep things to myself, is a single kiss from _my_ dear princess. That is _all_ i need to win your favor."

"It will take _more_ than a kiss to convince me your anything more than and selfish spoiled jerk!"

"O didn't I mention? I can enchant my kisses, and i have yet to find a woman who hasn't fallen for my charms." he smirked as she tried to lean away from him as his face inched closer and closer.

He suddenly grabbed her hair and and harshly pulled it down to force her face up and forward "No!" Cari squeezed her eyes shut, dread setting into her gut.

But instead of feeling his disgusting lips she felt a breeze and soft familiar hands replace the harsh ones on her shoulders, keeping her from falling backwards.

Abruptly opening her eyes she was shocked to see Cal and Mallori standing protectively in front of her, Warner on the ground a few feet away, and Aiden supporting her from behind.

"Aidey." She breathed in relief. He smiled warmly down at her as he made sure she was firmly on her feet before he pushed her behind him.

"Cari what's going on? What's Warner doing here and _what_ was he trying to do to you?" Aiden asked anger seeping in his tone.

"That guest grandpa wanted me to meet was Warner and his father the general. He told me he wants to use my cursed title to give him more power and recognition than his father. And when i rejected his offers and advances he tried to enchant me into compliance." She answered as quickly as she could.

"AHHH!" Cari glared at the hated Specialist. "Who dares hit my perfect face!" He exclaimed as he held his head in pain.

"How dare you attack a Princess in her own kingdom!" Aiden exclaimed in anger. "You can face severe consequences!"

"What does a commoner like _you_ care what i do with _my_ fiance?!" Warner yelled back.

The three Specialists that came to her rescue turned to her at the same time.

"He's lying! He's _not_ my fiance! Grandpa wanted me to consider him a candidate but Papa wouldn't allow it unless i wished it! And i DON'T! I don't want anything to do with him!" She snapped back.

"Why didn't you just beat him to a pulp like you normally do?" Mallori asked

"He threatened me."

"Just beat him up until he takes back his threat."

"I... wasn't the _only_ one he threatened…" She felt Aiden stiffen in front of her.

"Who else did he threaten Cari?" Aiden asked

"...umm…"

"Cari…" Aiden waited until she looked him in the eyes "Who _else_ did he threaten?"

"...You…Cal… Lori… he threatened you three..."

"Why would you bother protecting us?" Mallori asked, just as shocked as his teammates.

Cari just shrugged. "I don't want to be the reason for your unhappiness if I can help it…"

"Aww how touching…" Warner sneered "so loyal to each other… almost brings tears to my eyes… tears of _laughter_ and _disgust_. Loyalty can only go so far. Now _my fiance,_ come to me. I grow weary of this _unwanted_ company." Warner ordered, holding out his hand to the red head.

"No. I am not going with you Warner. I respectfully ask you to leave." Cari responded.

"Why is she talking like that?" Mallori whispered to Calleo.

"Because she's a princess…?" Cal asked confused with the question. Didn't he know how politics worked?

"I will leave with _you_ by my side!" the general's son exclaimed "If you do not come _now_ I will have your precious friends arrested."

"Psh you can try."

"Very well, then. This is not my fault: Guards! Guards! Intruders! They're kidnapping the princess!" Cari had to give it to him, he was a pretty good actor. But it didn't phase her, she just smirked.

Aiden took a step to confront the guards. Cari knew they would instantly recognize him, he is their Prince after all, but that would blow his cover. She placed a firm hand on his chest, indicating that she would take care of the guards. Stepping to stand in front of her rescuers, the guards came as a swarm to them through the maze and hedges.

"Princess! Are you alright?!" the captain of the guard exclaimed.

"Why are you hesitating? Can't you see that your Princess is being held captive by those hooligans?!" Warner exclaimed in a panic causing some of the guards to advance a few feet.

Cari heard Mallori draw his knives. "Trust me Lori. They will not touch you." She heard him take a few steps back after a short hesitation, and she couldn't help the fluttering feeling in her chest when he did.

The guards looked to their Princess awaiting their orders. "Princess?"

She smiled at them. "I am fine Captain. There was just a … disagreement. You may return to your posts i apologize for the disturbance."

The Captain looked between Cari and the boys before slowly relaxing his stance, the rest of the soldiers following suit.

"What are you fools doing?! I order you to arrest those intruders! They are trying to kidnap my fiance! Do your jobs and obey your future king's orders!" Warner practically screamed.

"Until there is a formal notice of your engagement we do not follow your orders boy. And even if what you say is true we have sworn our loyalty to Princess Calida Cari and the royal family."

"I will be part of the royal family soon, and when i am you will _regret_ disobeying me! You should only be loyal to me!"

"At this rate boy you will never even have a dog's loyalty." the captain remarked in a cold tone. He turned back to Cari and saluted. "Princess shall i leave some of my men for additional support?"

"Thank you Captain, but as you can see I have all the support I require." Cari said as she motioned to the three Specialists behind her. She saw the recognized in his eyes when he noticed Aiden. Subtly she placed a finger over her lips. "I wouldn't want to take you away from your duties, my Captain."

"Yes, my Princess." He bowed before ordering his soldiers to leave.

"I see Eracklyon guards fail as soldiers." Warner remarked.

" _Sigh_. Please Sir Warner _leave_. It is quite obvious that we are _not_ a match." Cari stated

"No! I will not accept this! You _will_ be mine!"

"Ohmygosh! What do I have to do to get rid of you?!"

"Shall i handle -" Aiden and Calleo started to ask, but was quickly cut off by Mallori.

"No wait." his teammates looked at him, confused. "We can help you get rid of your _fiance…_ for a price…"

"He's _not_ my fiance… and what kind of price?" Cari asked wondering if it would be worth it.

"You retract benching us for a month and start Tuesday's practice with the 3 vs 3,000 challenge." Mallori stated giving her a smug looks as he crossed his arms.

Cari gaped at him "You can't be _serious_?! You three are in no condition to do that advance game so soon after being released from the hospital!"

"Take it or leave it. It is up to you… but do you really want to deal with _Warner all_ weekend? Isn't that how long you were supposed to stay?" Cari audibly swallowed as she looked between the fuming Warner and Mallori.

"Mallori you can't be that cruel. We have to help her." Cal said

"Hey we came rushing here thinking it was a major emergency, just to to be a lovers spat. I think we are entitled to bargain." He shrugged.

"She's helped us plenty of times, I think we can help her with this without bargaining…" Aiden added.

"You are obviously biased. Are you two really ok in falling behind for an entire month!? We were already behind enough as it was, we don't need more reason to fall behind."

Cari saw that Warner was starting to storm closer to them. _'I don't think i can last a whole weekend with him trying to enchant me and not allowed to hit him…'_

' _I can always peck his eyes out… everyone will think nature did it…'_ Akira added

' _But Papa will know better…'_

' _Will you agree to the terms then?'_

' _...but they are too weak for that challenge right now...'_ Cari felt her stomach drop as the dark blue haired Specialist got closer.

"We caught up once we can -" Aiden stopped when Cari spoke up.

"Fine! On one condition…" The three Specialists focused their attention on her. "you three will have to take Rosie's tonic four times a day for four days."

"You can't make conditions!" Mallori retorted.

"Yes, i can! Sure I want Warner gone, but I care about your safety and health more." Cari smirked. "I can suffer for three days... can you suffer for a whole month?"

"Once a day."

"Thrice a day." Cari replied.

"Once a day."

"Twice a day, and that's my final offer!" Cari crossed her arms as she locked eyes with Mallori, for what seemed like an hour.

"Ugh fine! Twice a day!" Mallori exclaimed, batting away Warner's hand when it came close to touching him. Cari smiled in triumph, as Mallori huffed and nodded towards Calleo to deal with Warner.

Smiling, Calleo walked over to Warner who was very close to screaming at Mallori and rested an arm over his shoulders.

"Sir Warner. I would appreciate it if you gave up on your pursuits to chase after Princess Cari."

"What?! And why would I do that? I am the _best_ catch she will ever get! She should be _grateful_ for my hand!" Warner exclaimed pushing Cal's arm off.

"I don't believe you are correct in that statement." he replied casually.

"You can't count this commoner!" he exclaimed pointing to Aiden. "He has nothing to offer her or her kingdom! An alliance with the great General Cedric's son is much more appealing!"

"O I wasn't talking about _him_. I was referring to _myself_." Cal said with a even tone. "I, Prince Calleo the second son of Cosmosia, wish for the opportunity to court the lovely Princess Cari of Eraklyon."

Everyone stared in shock at his declaration.

' _He's just acting right? This is all part of the plan right?'_ Cari asked herself in shock, ignoring the light fluttering in her chest.

"W-what! N-no way! Your _teammate_ is dating her, i don't believe you would betray him in trying to steal his girl!" Warner stuttered.

"I do not intend to steal her at all. I plan to _woo_ her, and let her decide if i am worthy." Cal said locking eyes with Cari who stared in utter shock.

"W-who, w-what, w-why aren't you saying anything?" Warner screeched to Aiden. "He just declared his intentions to take your girl and you have _nothing_ to say?! Don't you feel _betrayed_?"

Aiden shrugged. "If my beloved Cari sees him to be worthy, then i will simply test his resolve before letting go of her hand. She is free to choose who she desires, she is not a doll to be passed around."

' _Why did he sound deathly serious? Isn't this all an act?!'_ Cari practically screamed in her head.

"This is unbelievable! This changes nothing!" Waren all but screamed.

"I believe it changes a great deal. According to _your_ ways, _I_ would be the better match because an alliance with Cosmosia is highly sought out by _many_ kingdoms. And a marriage between the royal families will automatically secure an approval from my father for a strong alliance that will benefit both kingdoms for generations to come." Cal said matter-of-factly. "Can a General's son offer the same?"

Warner stared in shock and anger. He refused to believe he would lose his chance for power and fame. No! he was going to continue to fight! He took a deep breath, before he stood tall and smoothed out the wrinkles in his jacket.

"I will _not_ stop until I am more powerful than my father, and _she_ is the key for that." He simply stated in a calm tone. "I accept your challenge for her hand. But for now she has the honor of _my_ company for the weekend and I will not let this opportunity go." He glared knowingly at Cari as he reached out to grab her hand, forcefully if needed.

They were all shocked when his hand was suddenly pulled away and twisted behind his back. Mallori sighed and looked over his shoulder as he pushed Warner away.

"Of course _I_ have to take care of things myself." He grumbled as he led the struggling young man to the other side of the clearing.

Cari, Aiden, and Calleo stared in shock as they waited for something to happen.

Mallori released Warner's arms and quickly wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him close.

"Can you guys hear anything?" Cari asked.

Both shook their heads, before looking down at her. Cal locked eyes with her for a moment before a light blush appeared on her cheeks as she turned away.

"T-that was some good acting Cal. I never knew you had it in you." Cari complimented, eyes focusing on Mallori and Warner.

"My words were completely genuine, Cari." He replied with a smile. Cari quickly turned to face him, unsure if she heard right. "You have truly captured my heart, and I have full intention to court you if you would only allow it. Now that I know you two are only siblings I will have no guilt in attempting to win your affections." He finished by gently grabbing her hand and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles.

' _Wait. What? What! WHAT!? Did i fall into another universe? What's going on?! This can't be real!'_ She was shaken from her internal freak out when she felt herself being pulled back into the safety of her brother's chest.

"You might not want to freak her out so early in the game, Cal. You will just scare her away, like that." Aiden teased.

Cal blushed while rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry didn't mean to freak you out." He said in a timid voice.

' _He's too cute… omygosh… what am i thinking?! i can't handle this right now…'_

Thankfully for Cari, Mallori and Warner started to walk back to them. The former looking deathly pale and other looking smug.

"The brat has something to say." Mallori stated, slapping Warner hard on the back resulting in him jumping a bit.

"I-I apologize for troubling you, Princess Cari." Mallori cleared his throat in annoyance, which Warner flinched before amending: "I mean, Princess _Calida_ Cari! Uhh… I believe you were right, we are not a marital match. Thank you for your time, I will take my leave now." He bowed down low before making his way out of the maze.

Everyone just stared after him in stunned silence

"Uhh...what did you do?" Cari asked completely amazed he was out of her hair so easily.

"Nothing. Just a man to man talk." Mallori shrugged. "Now, send us back."

"Don't you guys want to stay? You don't have to fix my problems then immediately leave. Want to at least have some tea?" Cari asked motioning to the castle.

"No." Mallori simply stated.

"You said 'grandfather was here' right?" Cari nodded. "Then it might be best to leave, especially with a guest here." Aiden said

"I wouldn't mind meeting my possible in-laws." Cal said eagerly, already stepping closer to Cari

"Nope you're coming back with us." Aiden said pulling his teammate back.

"So the portal…" Mallori stated

"Uhh… yea, ok. Give me a minute." Cari replied turning as she focused her magic in opening the portal back to Red Fountain.

"Does it normally take this long?" Mallori asked Aiden after a couple of minutes.

"Hey!" Cari snapped "I'm not very good at portals, alright! Now Shush or you'll end up at Alfea instead."

When the portal was finally open, the fairy stood aside, indicating it was ready for them. "There you go. And thanks again for coming to my rescue." She told them with a bright smile.

"Yea, yea. Just don't forget to amend your notes about our month rest when you get back." Mallori stated.

' _Huh? I was supposed to write that down?'_

' _Yes, you were. Remember Riven told you to keep notes on their progress and if you recommend changes or breaks…'_ Akira responded.

' _Oops. I haven't been keeping up with that…'_

"Uhh… yea I won't forget." She rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "O and I'll make sure Rosie sends you her tonic tonight. Don't forget twice a day." Cari winked.

The three specialists groaned but nodded in unison.

"See you guys Wednesday!" Cari said with a smile

"What?! We are supposed to train Tuesday!" Mallori exclaimed

"Sorry I won't be back until _late_ Tuesday. I need to cover some work for my mother, and that tends to take a few days to do properly. But don't worry I'll be ready for the War challenge on Wednesday."

"But-" Mallori started but Aiden cut him off

"We understand. Until then…" He walked over and gave her a hug before walking to stand close to Mallori and the portal.

"Farewell Cari." Cal said taking her hand in his. "I shall await the day where I can bask in your radiant presence again." he kissed her knuckles again before being dragged off by Aiden through the portal.

Once they were gone, the portal closed on its own, as Cari watched… a blush on her cheeks.

' _Uhh… you ok, Cari?'_ Akira asked slightly concerned.

' _Do you think that's going to be a thing with Cal from now on?'_

' _Perhaps? Is that bad?'_

' _...I don't know…'_

' _Do you think they will be ok?'_ Akira asked

' _What do you mean?'_

' _There was a fluctuation in the portal when Calleo kissed your hand, your emotions spiked… and i believe the location was reset…'_ Akira commented.

' _Oh… uhh… oops…? Umm… Well I'm sure they'll be fine, Alfea isn't that far from Red Fountain…'_ Cari shrugged walking back to her room.

Once she closed her door, she grabbed her phone to start messaging Rosie while Akira flew out to relax in her nest. Unlocking her phone, she noticed she had a text from Aiden.

"Uhh… seems like Mallori stole Aiden's phone and wasn't too happy about the location change…" Cari stated as she read the text.

"Why do you say that?" Akira asked flying to perch on the fairy's shoulder.

"Because Aiden wouldn't write: 'Hey fairy! We're Specialists! We don't belong at Alfea!'"

The two giggled, wondering how Mallori managed to snag Aiden's phone long enough to send that text.


End file.
